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PUOCELLAliriD.K — TlIM ri-'/rUKLS -- t'YMOClIOKKA. 



409 



Mr. Dall, in liis paper on the Hirds of tlic Kastor Aleutian Islands, states that 

 though this speeios was often seen in the i(\i,Mon south of hit. '>{)" N., it was not 

 noticed by him in the region east of rnalashka. In his suhse(pient paper u])on tho 

 Western vVloutians, he further states tliat though not uotieed east of Aniehitka, this 

 hird breeds abundantly on the roeky islets otT Atta and on tlu' highlands of l\yska 

 and Aiu<'hitka. As is also noti<-ed in regard to the habits of 0. fnirata, the male 

 seems to do a large proportion of the incubation. As a rule, the female was found 

 to lay only one white egg, in a burrow from si.K inches to a foot in horizontal length. 

 This burrow was usually in the side of a turfy bank, and often curved considerably 

 to one side; and he nt>ver met witli one absolutely straight. When handled, this bird 

 disgorges a reddish oily Huid of a strong and disagreeable musky snudl ; and if tho 

 liurrow was tenanted, this could be easily recognized by its snudl. On the coast of 

 Mendocino Co., (Jal., this bird is known as the " iMu.sk l>inl." While breeding it 

 is largely nocturnal in its habits, l-'resh I'ggs weri' found from .hiiie lOth to the 

 end of .Mdy. The specimens of this bird taken on tlic Western Aleutians are .said 

 to be darker than those froui Sitkii. They iire summer residents only, going south 

 ill winter, and arriving at the ishinds in .Mmv. It was found abundant at Sitka by 

 jiiscliolf, the specimens taken being more rusty-colored than is usual with birds of 

 tliis species. 



The ai)pearance of Leach's IVtrel in dilTerent jiarts of Knrope has been found in 

 111! instances to have bei>n caused by severe storms, the birds, exhausted by inability 

 to pro(^uri! food, and overpowered by the wind, having been dashcil ui>oii the shore, or 

 even driven far into the interior. Since attentiop has been driiwn to the sid)ject, the 

 records of their appeai'ance in this manner in ICnglund, I'^'aiice, Portugal, and other 

 |ilaces have be(H)nu' nn)re fi'e(pient. l)r. L. von Schrenck obtained examples of tiiis 

 siiecies at the Kurile Islands, and Mr. Wosnessensk_\ procured others on the Island 

 of Schauschn. 



In the summers of ISoO and tS.-tl I found this siiecies lu'ceding on a number (d' 

 small islands in the Uay of Kiindy, on the coast of New Urunswick ; and since then 

 i>r. Hryant has several times met with it, also breeding in large numbers, on the low 

 islands on the oiijjosite shore of Nova Scotia. I first noticed it at sea, oil" the coast 

 of Maine, about the middle of ,)uiie, 1<S,"»0. Our steamer had been overtaken by a 

 violent northeasterly gale, and for eight hours was unable to make any headway. 

 The sea had been lashed by the tempest into a violent commotion, and the I'etrels 

 were about in countless nund)ers, and scennHJ to be totally unmindful of the storm. 

 Tliey tlcw singly, and in no instance did I see two together, i was doubtful whetiier 

 liny succeeded in procuring any food; yet they appeared to be very busy, and where- 

 ever a wave broke and its crest descendeil in foam, the Petrel might b(> seen skimming 

 its surface. Whether the sea was full o\ Petnds, as it appeared to lie, or whether 

 till' .sanu' birds were constantly reappearing, it was impossible to tell; but not more 

 than three or four were in siglit at any one monuMit. 1 first foinid tliis species breed- 

 ing on Oreat Duck Island, a large and inhabited island near (Irand Menan, a consid- 

 erable jiortion of which was covered by a thick growth (d' spruce and birch trees. 

 Tile birds nested in ludes among th(> thick network of roots, wliere they were nearly 

 inaccessible. It was only with the aid of an axe and with consi(h'rable hard work 

 that we could get to their retreats. .Vlthough if. was already the L'lth (d' .lune, in 

 eiiiy oue of the nests we opened was there an v\;\x, the male bird being present; in 

 all the other ne.sts both birds were found, but no 'gg. I have since observe<l tliat 

 dining the d.aytime, except when liie weather is lowering, the jiair nmy always, jire- 

 ceiling the depo.sitioii (d' the egg, be found in their hole, in all instances we were 

 vol,. II. — ,")2 



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