36 



BIRD GALLERY. 



No. 95. STORM-PETREL. (Procellaria pelagica.) 



This bird, often known as " Mother Carey's Chicken," is strictly- 

 pelagic in its habits, seldom coming to shore except during the breeding- 

 season. It is generally distributed throughout British waters, frequents 

 low islets and other suitable situations, and is common off the coasts 

 of Scotland and Ireland. During severe storms it is sometimes driven 

 inland, and is occasionally found far from the coast. The food con- 

 sists of small fish, crustaceans, molluscs, and fatty matter floating on 

 the surface of the ocean. A single white egg, faintly dotted with rusty 

 brown, is laid at the end of a burrow or beneath stones, often on the 

 bare soil, but sometimes on a slight nest of dry grass-stems. Though 

 eggs are sometimes found as early as the end of May and as late as 

 September, incubation usually commences about the middle of June, 

 and lasts for thirty-five days. 



Isle of Skye, July. 



Presented by the Rev. H. A . Macpherson. 



No. 96. LEACH'S FORK-TAILED PETREL. 



(Oceanodroma leucorrhoa.) 



This species, restricted to the Northern Hemisphere, is met with 

 off the coasts of Great Britain, occasionally in numbers, during the 

 autumn and winter months. It is known to breed on the St. Kilda 

 Group, on North Bona and other islands of the Outer Hebrides, as 

 well as on the Blaskets, off the south-west coast of Ireland. The food 

 consists of small molluscs, crustaceans, and greasy matter found floating 

 on the sea. The nest is made at the end of a burrow or in a hole of 

 some kind j and a single white egg, zoned and freckled with minute 

 rusty dots, is laid in June. Both birds take part in the incubation. 



North Rona, Outer Hebrides, 1st of July. 



Presented by Hugh G. Barclay, Esq. 



No 97. PUFFIN. (Fratercula arctica.) 



Vast numbers of the " Sea-Parrot" or " Coulter-neb," as it is often 

 called, breed in the cliffs and grassy slopes on many parts of the coast- 

 line of the British Islands. In the end of August, when the young 

 are ready to follow their parents into the water, they leave the coast 

 for the open sea, where they pass the winter, returning to their 

 breeding-places in March or April. The single dull white egg, faintly 

 spotted with brown or lilac, is laid in a crevice of a rock or in a 



