Extracts from the Minute-Booh of the Linnean Society. 689 



Linnean Society. Both the specimens were in about equal degrees 

 well fed : — 



Weight of the Stormy Petrel 4 drains 35 grains ; of Wilson's Petrel 5 drams 2 scruples. 



Length „ ,, 6 inches ; ,, ,, 7 inches. 



Spread of the wings „ 14^ inches ; „ ,, 16^ inches. 



The wings extend beyond the tail •§ an inch ; ,, „ 1| inch. 

 With the legs extended, the-i 



toes extend, short of the > 1 line ; beyond the tail ^ inch 2 lines. 



end of the tail J 



" The Stormy Petrel is feathered just to the tarsal joint; but in 

 Wilson's Petrel the feathers only approach within 4 lines of it. In the 

 former the tarsus is in length 1 line sliort of an inch, in the latter 

 1 inch 4 lines, and equally slender with the former; and the hinder 

 toe is so minute, that it might escape any but attentive examination. 

 In the bill the markings are more strongly defined, with the ter- 

 minal hook longer and sharper. The prominence of the forehead is 

 less than in the more common species. Colour of the head black, 

 with a tint of hoary, lighter on the throat. The back, belly, wings 

 and tail ferruginous, lighter on the wing-coverts ; the rump white, 

 and a little of the same at the vent. Tarsi and feet black, with a 

 longitudinal stripe of sulphur-yellow, more golden at the borders, on 

 the web between each toe. 



" This species, being of a stouter configuration than the common 

 Petrel, is probably better able than it to escape the violence of a 

 storm ; the reason, perhaps, why it does not more frequently come 

 near our coasts. But something also may be ascribed to the manner 

 of its flight ; that of the Stormy Petrel resembling the hovering mo- 

 tion of a Bat, and thus going before the violence of a gale, rather 

 than counteracting its influence. As the minuter actions of these 

 birds are so Httle known, it may be interesting to add, that in exa- 

 mining the stomach of a Stormy Petrel, about the length of half 

 an inch of a common tallow candle was found, of a size so dispro- 

 portioned to the bill and gullet of the bird, that it seems wonderful 

 how it could have been able to swallow it. It is remarked, that when 



