Plumage and Habits of Petrels 



1 1 1 



their plumage exhibits; but their graceful flight, and their companionship where 

 no other life is visible around a lonely vessel on the wildest oceans, gives them an 

 interest to beholders." In distribution the Petrels are found throughout all 

 seas and oceans of the world, but they are most abundant both in kinds and 

 individuals in the Southern Ocean. 



Their powers of flight are almost if not quite equal to those of the Albatrosses, 

 as they are known to follow a vessel for days at a time, apparently not needing 

 or caring for rest. However, they all swim readily and it is probable that indi- 



FIG. 33. Galapagos Stormy Petrel, Procellaria tethys. 



phceopygia. 



Dark-rumped Petrel, /Estrelata 



viduals really rest for a few minutes in the water and then easily overtake the 

 ship without their absence having been noticed. In the manner of nesting, the 

 Petrels differ quite markedly from the Albatrosses, as they nest in holes among 

 rocks usually on the face of a cliff, occasionally in holes made by burrowing ani- 

 mals of various kinds, or among tufts of grass or other plants, while not a few of 

 the species excavate holes or burrows for themselves in the ground; rarely the 

 egg is placed on the bare rock without the pretense of a nest. These burrows 



