PROCELLAKllDyE - THK PETRELS — PROCELLARIA. 



405 



tlie Atlantic coast and in tlio Mcditorranoan Soa. It is also rcsidoiit on and al)()ut 

 tlie coast of Northwestern Africa — lu-ccdinj,' on ro<-ky islets on tlic coast of Algeria 

 where Major F^oeke found it nesting from tlie heginning of May till September, and 

 where yonng biids were found from the t-nd of May until October. It lias also been 

 taken on the Canaries, at Madeira, at Fantee in WalHsch Bay, and in other places 

 on tiic southwest coast of Afrii'a. 



Mr. George A. Hoardman informs me that this sin-cies occurs during the latter 

 part of the summer — more especially in August — off the coast of Eastern Maine, 

 Southern New I'.runswick, and along the entire .Vtlantic coast of Nova Scotia. It is 

 also found off the coast of Newfoundland at tlie same time. Audubon nuMitions 

 that in August, I80O, when becalmed on the JSanks of Newfoundland, he obtained 

 several individuals of this species. In their general manner, while feeding and 

 moving around his boat, he noticed no points in which tiu^y differed from the 

 Wilson's and the Leach's I'etrels, in whost; comimny he found them. 



We learn from an interesting sketch given by Mr. llewitson, in his liritish Ool- 

 (igy, that on an excursion through the Slietland Islands he found this bird breeding 

 on several of the small islets in the J>ay of Scalloway. These he visited on the 31st 

 of May, in hopes of finding the eggs ; but in this he was disai)poiuted. The " Swal- 

 lows," as the fishermen called them, liad not yet "come up from the se.a." rrune 10, 

 and the three following days, he was at Foxla, but was then equally unsuccessful. 

 Tiie birds had arrived, although they iiad not yet l)cgun laying their eggs ; but num- 

 bers were already in their holes, and were easily caught; and two of them were kept 

 alive in his room for several days. I)in-ing the day tiiey wen; mostly inactive; and 

 after pacing about the floor, and poking their heads into every hole, they hid them- 

 selves between the feet of the table and the wall. He could not prevail upon tluiiu 

 to eat anything. Their manner of walking is described as being graceful and easy, 

 but differing from that of every other bird he had seen — this I'etrel carrying its 

 b> ly so far forward and so nearly in a straight line, as to have the appearance of 

 being out of equilibrium. In the evening, toward sunset, the captives left their hiding 

 place, and for hours nevta- ceased in their endeavors to regain their liberty — Hying 

 round the room, or fluttering against the windows. In flying, their length of wing 

 and white rumps gave them the appearance of the European House Martin. 



On the 3(Hh of June Air. Hewitsoii again visited (Jxna, and found these birds only 

 just beginning to lay. In Foxla they were breeding in the holes in the ditts, at a great 

 height above the sea. In Oxna, they go down under the stones with which the h&wh 

 is lined, to a distance of three or four feet, or more, according to the depth to which 

 the stones are sunk, and beneath these they deposit their eggs. On Avalking over the 

 surfaiH^ he could hear the birds very distinctly singing, in a sort of warbling chatter 

 a good deal like that of Swallows, but in a harsher tone. By listening attentively 

 he was readily guided to their retreats ; and by lifting out the stones he seldom 

 failed of capturing the birds on their nests. These latter were constructed of much 

 the same material as that of the ground on which they were placed, and seemed to 

 luivc been made with care ; small bits of stalks of plants and pieces of hard dry earth 

 were chiefly used. This Petrel never lays more than one egg. During the daytime 

 these birds remain within their holes, and are then seldom heard. Toward night they 

 bccoiue extremely querulous, and issue forth in great numbers, spreading far over 

 the surface of the sea, and surround the fishermen, who attract them by throwing 

 bits of fish overboard. The egg is described as measuring 1.13 inches in length and 

 ..SO ill breadth, and as being of nearly the same size at both ends, thick-shelled, pure 

 white, with numerous minute dots of dull red at the larger end, in a circular band. 



