44 BIRDS OF NORTH CAROLINA 



Range. Breeds on Antarctic islands in February; occurs off the American coast from May to 

 September. 



Range in North Carolina. In the ocean, off shore, in summer. 



"This is the petrel frequently seen on our Atlantic waters in summer. While 

 trolling for mackerel off the coast near Cape Lookout the writer saw several of these 

 birds in July, 1899. So close to the waves do they fly, and often with their feet 

 hanging, that it is little wonder the idea arose long ago that petrels actually walk 

 the waves like Peter of old. I have frequently watched them at sea beating about 

 the vessel, now circling the bow, now dropping far behind to examine some frag- 

 ments of food thrown overboard, and again appearing close alongside. They always 

 remind me of purple martins with white rumps. During the severe storm which 

 raged on the North Carolina coast August 28, 29, and 30, 1893, many thousands of 

 these birds were driven and washed ashore along the line of beach extending from 

 the mouth of Beaufort Harbor to Cape Lookout, a distance of ten miles. I have 

 this information from several reliable parties. The exact dates of the storm I 

 secured from the log-book of Capt. William H. Gaskin of the Cape Lookout Life 

 Saving Station. 



FIG. 24. WILSON'S PETREL. 



"Mr. James Davis, formerly a well known business man of Beaufort, who had 

 occasion to go along the beach to a wreck just after the storm, says: 'Every two 

 or three yards lay a Mother Gary's chicken; many were dead, others were alive, 

 but too weak to fly. In places two or three would be lying together; at certain 

 points for a distance of many feet the ground would be completely covered with the 

 bodies, sometimes piled two or three deep. This was frequently the case until I 

 reached the bight of the cape. Here in the cove the slaughter had been tremen- 

 dous. Thousands of birds sat or lay on the ground, covering the beach like a 

 blanket, extending from the water's edge up into the grass on the higher ground. 

 The fishermen of the neighborhood carried home with them baskets filled with these 

 birds to eat.' Mention of this remarkable occurrence was made in the Auk, vol. 16, 

 p. 247." PEARSON. 



The Leach's Petrel, Oceanodroma leucorhoa (Vieill.), sometimes occurs as far south as Vir- 

 ginia, and may perhaps wander to this State. This is very similar in appearance to the 

 Wilson's, but has shorter legs (tarsus less than 1.00, instead of over 1.25 as in the Wilson's 

 Petrel), and is somewhat larger. (L., 5.50-8.75; W., 6.00-6.25; T., 3.50-4.00.) 



