66 



PETREL (PROCELLARIA). 



These birds may with great propriety be called in- 

 habitants of the ocean ; they are met with at the 

 greatest distance from land, and seem to walk, rather 

 than fly, on the surface of the most tempestuous 

 billows, never approaching the shore except in the 

 breeding time : the nostril is furnished with a long 

 tube, through which they spout a quantity of pure 

 oil to a considerable distance, in the face of the per- 

 son who disturbs them. They are said to feed on 

 the dead fat of the whale and other large fish. 



The Storiny Petrel, or Mother Care/s Chicken (Pro- 

 cellaria Pelagica) is sometimes found on our coast, 

 and I have known several instances where they have 

 been picked up dead in the inland counties : they 

 sometimes follow the wake of a ship, but on these oc- 

 casions are always unwelcome visitors to the mariner, 

 who considers their presence as a certain prognostic 

 of an approaching storm. 



The Snoivy Petrel (Procellaria Nivea). 

 Inhabits the colder parts of the South Seas. 



The Grei/ Petrel (Procellaria Grisea), male and 

 female. 



Pintado Petrel (Procellaria Capensis). 



Shear -tvaier Petrel (Procellaria Pufhnus), a native 

 •f this country. 



