254 . THE STORMY PETREL. 



or other connected. That storms do frequently occur 

 when, or soon after, these birds are seen, is certainly 

 true ; but the cause probably is, that, instinctively 

 feeling the approach of a gale, they are disquieted, 

 and are anxiously awaiting its arrival, and, there- 

 fore, hover round the ship, which they imagine may 

 shelter them from its fury; for, unlike the Albatross, 

 or Gull, they seem to dislike the war of elements; 

 and to this dislike may probably be attributed the 

 otherwise unaccountable circumstance of their being 

 so often found even many miles inland. The fact 

 might be doubted, but for numberless recorded in- 

 stances; for there is scarcely a county in England in 

 which they have not been seen. 



In 1832, upwards of twenty instances occurred, 

 and many of them in the midst of crowded towns; 

 thus, after a series of tempestuous weather, one 

 was captured, which had been seen flying up and 

 down the streets of a populous town, about seven 

 or eight feet above the ground, apparently much ex- 

 hausted ; while others, after severe storms, were seen 

 flying about the iron-furnaces at Low Moor, near 

 Bradford, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, probably 

 attracted by the blaze of their immense fires. 



They do not, however, always follow 'ships merely 

 for shelter; we suspect that the scraps of food or 

 grease, which occasionally fall over-board, frequently 

 attract them. We have heard of one which accom- 

 panied a ship from the Channel to the very shores 

 of America, picking up or examining every thing 

 that fell over-board. It was observed to be more 

 clamorous during the night than the day. It ap- 

 peared, moreover, to those who watched it, to dive, 



