THE STORMY PETREL 239 



iron rails are laid down, and small iron box-cars are pushed 

 over them, to load with eggs from the nests. 



After the reader has noted the above paragraph, written 

 in 1902, a history of the great Albatross slaughter on Laysan 

 Island will be found a few pages farther on in this chapter. 



THE FULMAR FAMILY 



Procellariidae 



THE FULMARS are like so many understudies of the Al- 

 batrosses; and the SHEARWATERS bring the Tube-Nosed 

 group still nearer to the gulls and terns. The habits of all 

 these are very much alike. All are strong-flying, mid-ocean 

 birds, following ships for miles in order to pick up whatever 

 edible food is thrown overboard. In one respect they are 

 marine vultures, for some of the species make haste to feed 

 upon any dead animal found floating on the sea or stranded 

 on the shore. 



No one with eyes ever need cross the Atlantic without 

 seeing the dear little STORMY PETREL, 1 or "MOTHER CAREY'S 

 CHICKEN," as it is called by sailormen. After the last gull 

 has been left far behind, and there are about two miles of 

 water under the ship, in the trough between two great waves 

 there suddenly glides into view a pair of small black wings, 

 fluttering rapidly, while two little webbed feet work violently 

 to pat the concave surface of the deep blue water. Those 

 who do not know the creature exclaim in surprise, "What 

 in the world is that?" 



"That" is one of the wonders of the ocean world. The 



1 Pro-cel-la'ri-a pe-lag'i-ca. Length, 5.50 inches. 



