1 88 THE STORY OF A BIRD LOVER 



among these birds is the great albatross, famed 

 in song and story, but other members are almost 

 as large in size, the giant fulmar and the wander- 

 ing albatross being among them. Then comes a 

 group which is fairly represented by such birds as 

 the greater and sooty shearwaters. Intermediate 

 in size between these birds and the little black 

 petrels with the white spots on their rumps, which, 

 without regard to specific difference, sailors term 

 " Mother Carey's chickens," comes the Cape 

 pigeon. A number of other congeners vary 

 slightly in size and form. Finally, there are many 

 kinds of the small birds referred to as " Mother 

 Carey's chickens," and when the antarctic ice is 

 reached a little snow-white petrel is in evidence. 



The petrels are the wanderers of the sea. No 

 point is too distant from land for their journeys. 

 They are equally at home in calm and storm, and 

 seem only to resort to unfrequented islands or land 

 for the purpose of breeding. At' such seasons 

 they assemble at favorite localities, often in great 

 colonies, where some nest upon the surface, but 

 more prefer to excavate a burrow in the ground, 

 or to retire into some cranny to lay their eggs. 



On the whole, petrels may be characterized 

 as par excellence the fliers among birds. The 

 eagle and the condor may be noticed frequently 

 at rest, but these Arabs of the sea seem ever on 

 the wing. The ocean waste is their home. 



