26 BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 



none, on the ground or in a burrow. Petrels are silent birds, as a rule, contrasting 

 with gulls and terns in this particular. Many or most are gregarious, congregating 

 by thousands at their breeding places or where food is plenty." Coues' Key N. A. 

 Birds. 



GENUS PUFFINUS BRISSON. 

 Puffinus major FABER. 



Greater Shearwater. 



DESCRIPTION. 



" Adult. Head above cheeks, occiput, a narrow line on the nape and upper part of 

 back brownish-ash, paler on the hind neck ; feathers of the back with lighter margins , 

 lower part of back dark-brown; upper tail coverts of same color, terminating 

 broadly with grayish-white ; primaries and tail brownish-black, the former white 

 on the basal part of the inner webs ; secondaries and tertiaries dark brown, the sec- 

 ondaries white on their inner webs nearly to the end ; wing coverts ashy-brown, 

 with lighter margins ; under plumage pure white, the neck nearly encircled with 

 white ; sides of the neck, anterior to the bend of the wings, marked with waving 

 lines of pale ash ; lower tail coverts dark ash, with light-gray edgings ; bill yellowish- 

 green, the tip brownish-black ; .iris brown ; tarsi and feet livid yellow. Length 

 about 20 inches ; " (extent about 45 inches.) laird's Birds of N. A. 



Habitat. Atlantic Ocean ; south to Cape Horn and Cape of Good Hope. 



A single bird of this species the only one, so far as I have been able 

 to learn, that has been taken within our borders is recorded by the 

 late Dr. Ezra Michener as an accidental visitor in Chester county. I 

 have never seen the Shearwater in its natural state, hence cannot give, 

 from my own observations, anything concerning it. "Audubon men- 

 tions finding this species ranging from the Gulf of St. Lawrence to that 

 of Mexico ; but he very rarely met with it near the coast. In sailing to 

 Labrador, when off the coast of Nova Scotia, one evening in June, about 

 sunset, he observed a great number flying from the rocky shore, and 

 believed they were breeding there. In this belief he was confirmed by 

 the fact that hardly one was to be seen there by day, that being the 

 time when these birds are in the habit of remaining about their nests. 

 In September they are to be seen far from land, both by day and by 

 night ; and in calm weather they alight on the water and may then be 

 easily approached. They swim buoyantly, and when sporting on the 

 water present a very graceful appearance. Two that had been caught 

 with hooks walked about as well as ducks. On being approached they 

 would open their bills, raise their feathers, and ejected through their 

 nostrils an oily substance. * * * They refused all sorts of food, and, 

 being very unpleasant pets, were soon set at liberty, when, instead of 

 flying away directly, they plunged into the water, dived about, then 

 splashed and washed themselves, before they took to their wings, flying 

 with their usual ease and grace, In the stomachs of those he opened 

 Audubon found portions of fish, crabs, sea-weeds and oily substances." 

 B. B. and R. Birds of N. A., Vol. ii. 



