l64 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



California. It has been noted as a rare or rather uncommon migrant on our 



coast, from the days of Giraud to the present time, and sometimes wanders 



inland, especially up the Hudson river. This is the only petrel which breeds 



on the coast of the United States. It lays a single white egg in a burrow 



in the ground, and the birds come and go at night, the male usually taking 



charge during the day. The nestling is covered with a very fluffy, sooty 



down. 



The following are the records of New York specimens: 



Quogue, L. I. 1850. Dutcher, Auk, 5: 132; see also Lye. Nat. Hist. Ann., 5: 220 



Catskill, Greene co., N. Y. Oct. 19, 1874. Day, Forest and Stream, 3: 180 



Lansingburg, N. Y. Nov. 13, 1879. (William Gibson). Thomas Heimstreet 



Hudson river above Troy. Oct. 1879. Park, N. 0. C. BuL, 5: 190 



Lansingburg, N. Y. Nov. 3. 1886. (William Gibson). Austin F. Parks 



Fire Island Light, L. I. May 4, 1888. c?. Dutcher, Auk, 6: 132 



Montauk Point Light. May 30, 1889. d^. (Mulligan). Dutcher, Long Island Notes 



July 27, 1889. (Gurnett). 

 New Lebanon, Columbia co., N. Y. Oct. 17, 1889. (A. B. Davis). Park Collection, 



State Mus. 

 Montauk Point Light. June 15, 1890. ? . (Scott). Dutcher, L- I. Notes 

 Opposite North Troy. Sept. 29, 1890. A. F. Parks, Mss. 



Oceanites oceanicus (Kuhl) 

 Wilson Petrel 



Procellaria oceanica Kuhl. Beitr. Zool. Mon. Proc. 1820. p. 136, pi. 10, fig. i 

 Thalassidroma wilsoni DeKay. Zool. N. Y. 1844. pt 2, p. 290, fig. 271 

 Oceanites oceanicus A. O. U. Check List. Ed. 2. 1895. No. 109 



oceani'tes, Gr. 'nKtavtVijs, son of ocean; ocean'icus, Lat., oceanic 



Description. Sooty black, lighter below; upper tail coverts white, the 

 shorter ones mixed with blackish; under tail coverts mixed with whitish; 

 wing coverts grayish, margined with whitish,* bill and legs black, the feet 

 with yellow webs. 



Length 7 inches; wing 5.9; tail 3-3.25; bill .5; tarsus 1.3; tibia bare i; 

 middle toe and claw i.i. 



This is the common petrel found about the shores of Long Island and 

 occurs from May till late September (Chapman), when it departs for the 



