PROCELLARIID.E — THE PETRELS — 0CEANITE8. 



417 



Mr. E. L. Layarcl mentions nioeting with it in the Southern Ocean in hit. 23° 

 30' S., long. 72° E. ; and subsequently, when in hit. 24° S., long. 75° 30' E., he again 

 met with it. When in lat. 32° 50' S., long. 29° 50' E., near the mouth of Great Fish 

 Kiver, these birds were most abundant ; at least three hundred were in siglit at one 

 time. At no other time did he see so many together, exeejit in his voyage out to 

 Canada, in 1843, when they aijpeared off Autieosti in similar Hocks. In his opinion 

 these bird-s very rarely alight upon the water, for he repeatedly watched them far 

 into the night, and still they kept on their unwearied flight; and even after the 

 moon had set, and their tiny forms were no longer visible, he could distinguish their 

 querulous cries. 



Captain F. W. Hutton, in his voyage from London to Xew Zealand (" Ibis," 1807), 

 states that he met with this species several times in the northern temj)eratc zone, 

 but saw none while in the tropics. It reappeared in lat. 33° S., and continued com- 

 mon until May 2, lat. 39° S. It was then seen occasionally until May 18, lat. 40° 

 40' S., after which none were met with. 



Mr. L. Kumlien in the Arctic exj)cdition found it far more abundant than Leach's 

 Petrel, and traced it as far north as Kesolution Island. On the return voyage it was 

 first met with a hundred miles south of Cape Farewell. It has been observed in the 

 Pacilic, and is given by Mr. Gould as a bird of Australia. 



Dr. Pickering met with this species Oct. 24, 1838 (the latitude and longitude not 

 given, but the nearest land was the coast of Africa), and a specimen was taken alive. 

 It was found to be not only entirely incapable of perching, but even of standing 

 upriglit, except by aid of its wings. It sat rather than stood, and the whole of the 

 tarsus rested on the ground; and it walked in the same awkward position, being fre- 

 (piently obliged to balance itself witli the aid of its wings, with a niort! powerful 

 exertion of which it was enabled to run along on its toes, as it does on the surface 

 of the water. Birds of this species continued abundant about the vessel for sev- 

 eral days, and their coiirsing over the water with flitting wings reminded him of the 

 movement of butterflies about a pool. Only in one instance was this bird seen to 

 iv.st on the surface of the water. This Petrel does not sail in the continued manner 

 of Gidls and other sea-birds, but moves by rapidly Hexing its wings, somewhat after 

 tlie manner of a Bat. It was continually coursing around and in the wake of the 

 vessel, generally in considerable numbers, during the greater part of the time the 

 expedition was in the Atlantic Ocean. It was taken in the Atlantic in lat. .'W° S., 

 and was seen occasionally as far as Capc^ Horn. In the Pacific it occurred at times 

 until within a day's sail of Callao. Specimens were procured by the Expedition from 

 various and widely remote localities. 



It is often met with flying about the North Eock, Bermuda, in stormy weather ; 

 and Mr. Hurdis records the capture of a very tine specimen, shot by Mr. Harford on 

 tlie 30th of June, 1853, killed some miles from shore, the date being suggestive of its 

 breeding in that vicinity. 



This species is not uncommon olf Sandy Hook, within sight of land, and occasion- 

 ally stragglers are seen coasting along the shores of Long Island. Mr. Giraud states 

 tluit he had a favorable opportunity of observing the manners of these birds when 

 he was making an excursion in a pilot-boat. The vessel being low, by throwing over 

 .small pieces of fat, which they seized Avith avidity, he was enabled to keep them 

 very near. He observed that they were capable of a very rapid as well as a very 

 protracted flight, at times shooting past the boat, which, under full sail, was moving 

 at a very rapid rate, but which seemed, by comparison with the birds, to be lying at 

 anchor. When wearied, this Petrel rests on the water ; and at such times it stands 



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