100 RAPIDITY OF FLIGHT. 



of a few miles. One reason why they have escaped 

 the close attention of naturalists, is, that no person 

 is permitted to kill any bird upon the Bosphorus 

 without incurring the displeasure of the Turks, 

 who, although very indifferent as to the lives of 

 human beings, are extremely averse to take away 

 the lives of animals*." 



Such is the singular account given by an intelli- 

 gent traveller, to which we are enabled to add a few 

 particulars, partly confirming, and partly contra- 

 dicting it. The bird is called by the Turks, Armidau, 

 and has been, hitherto, erroneously considered a 

 Kingfisher t, from which species it is, however, far 

 removed, proving, on examining a beautiful speci- 

 men in our possession, to be of that family of birds 

 well known to sailors by the name of Mother Carey's 

 Chickens, and named the Cinereous Petrel (Procel- 

 laria cinerea^. Agreeably to the habits of the 

 petrel tribe, this species is rarely seen to settle, 

 though it does sometimes repose for a few moments 

 -on the waves, or alight when attracted by food, an 

 officer of H.M.S. Actaeon, having actually caught 

 one which seized his bait hung over the stern, at the 

 extremity of a long line. A couple more were taken 

 in a still more singular manner. Two flocks flying 

 with their usual rapidity, in opposite directions, did 

 not divide, but came in contact, immediately above 

 a boat belonging to the same ship, with such violence, 



* Walsh's Constantinople. See also Sketches in Greece. 



f In Andreossi's work, Sur le Bosphore, it is termed Hal- 

 cyon Voyageur. 



+ It is so closely allied to our Shearwater, that it might 

 easily be mistaken for it. 



