84 THE HAUNTS OF LIFE 



by surprise. It is given by both parents to the 

 young. A captive Storm Petrel was fed for 

 three months on oil alone. The amount of oil 

 throughout the whole bird may be inferred 

 from the fact that some islanders thread a wick 

 through the dead body and use it as a lamp, 

 "the excess of fat burning steadily until the 

 whole is consumed." 



The Storm Petrel's nest hardly deserves the 

 name; it is never more than a little mattress of 

 dry grass. The single egg is laid (about the 

 end of June in Scotland) in a hole among the 

 rocks or among loose stones, or in a burrow, 

 which may be a rabbit's, or may be partly made 

 by the bird's own exertions, though one would 

 not think that tunnelling was much in its line. 

 There is a heavy musky smell about the hole. 



The parents seem to share in brooding, 

 which lasts for about five weeks. During that 

 time the birds are not seen coming or going, 

 for they have become twilight birds, or dawn 

 and dusk birds. We suppose one parent sits 

 by day and the other by night. After the 

 young bird is hatched out, it seems to be left 

 to itself all the day long, while the parents 

 collect oil for the heavy supper which their 

 nestling makes and needs. It is not till the 



