396 THE STORMY PETREL. 



in multitudes for the sake of their oil. They probably, how- 

 ever, prefer the darkness of night for other reasons ; for our 

 common Stormy Petrels, whose hearts and livers are in no 

 danger from enemies by day, are observed by the people 

 employed in the cod-fisheries of the north, to come forth like 

 the Bat at dusk, when they see them skimming over the water, 

 catching a glimpse of them only by the white spots on their 

 rumps, and the side feathers of their tails. But though 

 apparently so wild and solitary, if caught and taken home, 

 they will become so tame as to suffer themselves, without the 

 least fear, to be touched and handled. One kept in a cage for 

 some time was supported by means of smearing the feathers of 

 the breast with train oil, which the bird afterwards sucked with 

 its bill. When the oil was placed in a saucer in the cage, it 

 would dip its feathers therein, and then suck the oil from them. 



Sailors have a superstitious dislike to the Stormy Petrels, 

 or, as they are commonly called, Mother Carey's Chickens, 

 believing that their appearance forebodes storms, with which 

 they are in some way or other connected. That storms do 

 frequently occur when, or soon after, these birds are seen, is 

 certainly true; but the cause probably is that, instinctively 

 feeling the approach of a gale, they are disquieted, and are 

 anxiously awaiting its arrival, and, therefore, hover round 

 the ship, which they imagine may shelter them from its fury ; 

 for, unlike the Albatross or Gull, they seem to dislike the 

 war of elements ; and to this dislike may probably be attri- 

 buted the otherwise unaccountable circumstance of their being 

 so often found even many miles inland. The fact might be 

 doubted but for numberless recorded instances; for there is 

 scarcely a county in England in which they have not been seen. 



In 1832 upwards of twenty instances occurred, and many 

 of them in the midst of crowded towns ; thus, after a series 

 of tempestuous weather, one was captured, which had been 

 seen flying up and down the streets of a populous town, about 

 seven or eight feet above the ground, apparently much 

 exhausted; and in October 1846, one was picked up in Broad 

 Street, Halifax, remaining alive only a few hours, driven 

 inland, no doubt, by recent stormy weather ; while others, after 



