WILSON'S PETREL. 491 



moved, they would never attempt to leave (ho burrows, and when first brought out, ap- 

 peared very stupid, for they could often be thrown from hiind to hand like balls, without 

 flying. When one nest was being disturbed, the Petrels in neighboring burrows, of which 

 there were often eight or ten within a few square yards, kept up a constant squeaking like 

 mice. At this time, the eggs were in an advance stage of incubation, but I found fresh 

 ones on the southern end of Bryon Island, the first of July, a year later. Here Leach's 

 Petrels were nesting in burrows on the face of a sandy bank, in a similar manner to that 

 practiced by Bank Swallows. When not breeding, these Petrels are found on the open 

 ocean, running lightly over the waves, with extended wings, like other allied species. 



THALASSIDROMA WILSON!. 



Wilson's Petrel. 

 Thalassidroma Wilsoni Bon. Syn.; 1828. 



DESCRIPTION. 



SP. Cu. Size, medium. Form, slender. COLOR. Adult. Dark Booty-brown throughout, becoming blackish on pri- 

 maries and tail and ashy in a line through wings. Upper tail coverts, basal third of under, and base of tail, white. Iris, 

 brown, bill and feet, black with webs yellow, excepting at margin. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Recognized by the short bill, long legs, and yellow webs to feet. Distributed in summer from the Gulf of St. Lawrence, 

 northward, wintering off the Atlantic Coast 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements of specimens. Length, 7'25; stretch, 13'30; wing. 5'75; tail, 5'50; bill, '58; tarsus, T45. Long- 

 e<t specimen, 7'50; greatest extent of wing, 13'65: longest wing, 6' 10; tail, 5'75; bill, 'GO; tarsus, 1 50. Shortest specimen, 

 7'00; smallest extent of wing, 12'95; shortest wing, 5'50 tail, 5'25; bill, '50; tarsus, 1'40. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



gyt, placed in burrows, one in number, elliptical in form, chalky white in color, occasionally spotted with purplish, 

 sometimes in a ring around larger end. Dimensions from '80x 1*10 to '85 x 1'15. 



HABITS. 



A portion'of the surface of the Magdalen Islands, is covered with a thick growth of 

 low, scrubby spruces and hemlocks which often approach quite near the edge of the high 

 cliffs that form a large part of the coast. There was a dwarf forest of this description, on 

 the western side of Bryon Island, which grew so near the brink of a cliff, some two hundred 

 feet high, that there was only about twenty feet between the margin of the wood and edge 

 of the precipice. There were, however, some small, straggling spruces growing in this 

 intervening section, and under these, I was informed, Wilson's Petrels, or Long-legged 

 Mother Gary's Chickens as they were there called, made their burrows. I visited the place 

 repeatedly in search of their nests, but although I could perceive the unmistakable odor of 

 Petrels, I was not fortunate enough to find a hole. It is probable that I was too early 

 and that the burrows were not dug until later, although it was the first week in July, when 

 I made the last search. I found these birds very abundant in the neighboring waters of 

 the Gulf, feeding on floating garbage. They were very tame, often coming so near the 

 boats, that several were killed with oars. I have also met with this species off thu coast 

 in winter. 



THALASSIROMA PELAGICA. 



Stormy Petrel. 

 Tha/assidnima pelayica Vic., Zoo). Jour., II; 1825, 405. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sr. Cn. Form, slender. Size, small. Color. Adult. Dusky-brown throughout, lighter beneath. Hand on rump, 

 base of up|>er mid under tail coverts aud tail, uiillaries, and some under wing coverts, white. Iris, brown, bill and feet, 

 bl:vck. 



