216 



THE STORMY PETREL. 



North America, at all distances from land, and in 

 all weathers ; but is particularly numerous near 

 vessels immediately preceding and during a gale, 

 when flocks of them crowd in her wake, seeming 

 more than usually active in picking up various 

 matters from the surface of the water. This pre- 

 sentiment of a change of weather is not peculiar 

 to the petrels ; but is noted in many others, and 

 common to all. 



They make their nests in the holes and cavi- 

 ties of the rocks upon the seas, returning to feed 

 their young during the night, with the super- 

 abundant oily matter from their stomachs. At 

 these times they may be heard making a con- 

 tinual clucking sound during the whole of the 

 night. In the day they are silent, and wander 

 widely over the ocean. The rapidity of their 

 flight is at least equal to the fleetness of our 

 swallow. One circumstance is worthy of being 

 noticed, and shows the vast ran^e they take over 

 the ocean. In firing at these birds, a quill-feather 

 was broken in each wing of an individual, and 

 hung fluttering in the wind, which rendered it so 

 conspicuous among the rest, as to be known to all 

 on board. This bird continued with us for nearly 

 a week, during which time we sailed a distance 

 of more than four hundred miles to the north- 

 ward. 



