THE STORMY PETREL 299 



high above its back to pick up any scrap of food floating on 

 the sea, It is more or less gregarious at all seasons, and 

 generally flies over the water in little scattered parties. It 

 flies by day as well as by night, but seems to become most 

 active at the approach of darkness, and is never seen about 

 its nesting-place till dusk is falling. 



Many of these Petrels are caught in the flight-nets of the 

 Wash ; and I have on more than one occasion seen this bird 

 flying over the fishermen's houses in early morning, after 

 a more than usually boisterous night, about the period of the 

 autumnal equinox. It is indeed marvellous how this little 

 bird can stand against the tempest; and when the breeze 

 freshens it seems to take increased delight in following the 

 outline of the enormous waves. It is very possible that its 

 habit of keeping close to the waves is the secret of its safety, 

 for it finds considerable shelter from the wind in the deep 

 hollows and behind the towering crests. Except at the 

 nesting-place it seldom utters a sound, but there its noisy 

 twittering may be heard on every side, and from the ground 

 in which it nests. The food of the Stormy Petrel is composed 

 of small cuttlefish, oil floating on the waves, and any scraps 

 of fatty refuse thrown from passing vessels. I remember on 

 one occasion to have come across a party of these birds 

 eagerly feeding on a quantity of floating oil which thickly 

 strewed the sea under the cliffs. It had come from a cask 

 which had probably fallen overboard from some ship and 

 been dashed to pieces against the rocks. 



The Stormy Petrel visits the land in June for the purpose 

 of rearing its young. In some places, as for instance at St. 

 Kilda, I am of opinion that this bird uses its hole as a retreat 

 in the daytime for the best part of the year, as the Shear- 

 water does. The natives of these islands told me that the 

 Stormy Petrel was one of the first birds to arrive in spring 

 and left amongst the last in autumn : this means that the 



