230 



BRITISH BIRDS. 



THE FORK-TAILED PETREL 



(Thalassidroma Leachii, Vig. Thalassidrome de 

 Leach, Temm.) 



"THIS bird, a male, weighed one ounce: length 

 seven and a quarter inches; wings, when extended, 

 eighteen and a half inches. The beak black ; 

 general colour of the plumage dull black; scapu- 

 lars long, the ends white ; upper tail coverts 

 white, the under ones black,, but white at the 

 base ; under parts wholly black : wing primaries 

 black, the coverts lighter, forming a bar of dusky 

 brown ; the tail black, of twelve feathers, forked, 

 the outer ones longer than those in the centre 

 by half an inch : legs black. 



"This bird was brought to Leadenhall market 

 alive, on the 3rd of November, 1823, and was 

 said to have been caught on the Essex coast. It 

 was purchased by a poulterer, and when brought 



