24 BIRDS OF MAINE. 



now declares that the bird was shot by Mr. C. F. Nason at Lake 

 Mooseluckmeguntic in September, 1872. Nasou, Wooley and two 

 other men were of the party at the lake. Wooley saved and 

 brought it home with him. Some of the other skins that Dickinson 

 got of him may have been shot at Harpswell, so by some misunder- 

 standing the locality of the bird in question got mixed." 



From the foregoing it would seem that this bird is undeniably 

 entitled to a place in our list as an accidental visitor. 



Genus OCEANODROMA Reicheubach. 



39. (106). Oceanodroma leucorhoa (ViettL). Leach's Petrel. 



This Petrel is the only breeding representative of its order along 

 our coast. It nests abundantly on many of the extreme outer 

 islands of the coast. Especially large colonies nest annually on 

 Seal, Big Spoon, Little Duck and Green Islands. A burrow from 

 one to three feet in length is excavated in the soft loamy soil of the 

 island selected for a breeding place, and at the end of this hole a 

 small quantity of dry grass, leaves, rootlets or other accessible 

 material is rudely shaped into some resemblance to a nest. Here 

 the parent bird may be found, incubating its single white egg which 

 in most cases is spotted or wreathed with various obscure reddish 

 or lavender markings about the larger end. The eggs are deposited 

 in late June or July, and the parent remains on the nest until 

 removed by hand in case some person digs out a burrow. When 

 taken in the hand they spit forth a quantity of clear, yellow- 

 ish, musky smelling liquid. When this falls on one's clothes the 

 odor is perceptible for a long time, and the eggs of this species 

 retain the characteristic smell for years. Birds are not often seen 

 in the day time on the islands where they breed, unless one opens 

 the nesting place and forcibly removes the parent. On being 

 turned loose in such cases, the bird seems dazed and stumbles about 

 in a semi-drunken manner or stupidly thrusts its head into the 

 nearest cavity. If tossed into the air it heads straight out to sea. 

 It is noteworthy that in cases where the nest contains its egg only 

 one bird will be found incubating, its mate being far out to sea. 

 In cases where the nest is still in the process of construction, both 

 birds are usually found occupying it. At night the islands where 

 these birds nest become full of manifestations of life. The sitting 

 birds leave their nests and go to feed, while their mates who have 



