STOEMY PETEEL. 149 



the Petrel is the dirge for those who have perished with 

 her. 



But He who 'rideth upon the wings of the wind,' 'who 

 stilleth the raging of the sea and the noise of his waves,' 

 'the LOED who sitteth on high, is mightier.' He says unto 

 the sea, 'Peace! be still;' 'He speaks the word,' and 'there is 

 a great calm.' 



So yet once more in milder climates, leaving the dreariness 

 of high northern latitudes for the glory of the serene night 

 of the south, and the ceaseless breaking of the sea on an 

 iron-bound coast for its soft meanings while gently laving 

 the golden sands, 'on fine calm evenings, after the smooth 

 surface of the deep has put off the fiery glow imparted by 

 the setting sun, and begins to assume the dull leaden tint 

 of night, then the little Petrel may be seen scouring along 

 upon the face of the sea; now he darts past the fisher's boat 

 as it is rowing along upon its homeward course; is seen for 

 a moment as he flits among the lagging oars, and instantly 

 disappears among the increasing gloom of approaching night. 

 His motions are so rapid, his appearance so sudden, and he 

 looks so extremely diminutive, that it is only a quick eye 

 that will detect his approach at all.' 



Soon the bright and glowing tints upon the distant hill 

 tops shade into the gathering gloom; 'now fades the glimmering 

 landscape on the sight;' and the fanciful outlines of the far-off 

 clouds, gilded for a brief space longer with a gorgeous light 

 given back from the ebbing glory of the setting sun, 'too 

 bright to last,' melts away in like manner into the subdued 

 hues that foreshadow the coming dusk; and then again, in 

 her turn the shining moon enlivens the face of the deep, and 

 a shimmering path along the rippling eddies of the tide, the 

 true pattern of the 'Field of the cloth of gold,' marked off 

 by the darkened waters on either side, shews the sombre 

 figure of the Petrel as it flits across. 



Such are the scenes in which the Stormy Petrel acts its 

 part. 



These birds rise with difficulty from the ground, owing to 

 the great length of their wings, and run along some distance 

 before they can get fairly 'under weigh. They use their hooked 

 bills to assist them in climbing. They fly very swiftly, and 

 in the most buoyant manner imaginable, and are often seen 

 skimming from the top of one wave to another, dipping the 



