Notes on a Storm Petrel in Captivity.



111



cover. They are, of course, quick to kill a rat released from a

trap, aud lie generally gets a tap on the head before he has gone

many yards, which effectually settles him.


Unfortunately it is difficult to distinguish the sexes, though

as a rule the male is said, following the general rule in raptorial

birds, to be rather smaller than his mate. Otherwise I see no

reason why these interesting birds should not breed if suitably

fed and allowed plenty of room. A pair did lately build a nest

more than once at the Zoological Gardens, but they were inter¬

fered with by some antelopes confined in the same enclosure.

Finally the female, in a high wind, managed to get into the yard

of the Ostriches, and was fatally injured by one of the latter.


Major Horsbrugh remarks that examples of this species

from Egypt had red ceres, instead of rich yellow, as in those

from further south. I have seen in my birds (from the Trans¬

vaal) when much excited, a distinct pink suffusion showing

through the yellow skin ; in fact, it might be said that the bird

was blushing ! When in a quarrelsome mood, my birds draw

the skin of the forehead very tight and flat and elevate the cere ;

at the same time uttering a gruff roar or bellow, much more like

the voice of some angry mammal than that of a bird.


As I am uncertain of the sexes of my examples, I cannot

say if this is merely a challenge to combat or a form of sexual

display, but I am inclined to think that it is the latter, and that

I have two females.



NOTES ON A STORM PETREL IN CAPTIVITY.


By C. B. Ticehurst, M.A., M.R.C.S., M.B.O.U.


As the Storm Petrel ( Procellaria pelagicai) is not often kept

in captivity, I thought perhaps a few notes on one which I had

would be acceptable to the readers of the Avicultural Magazine.


On Nov. 29th, a very foggy day succeeding a foggy night,

I had two Storm Petrels brought to me alive, which had been

taken on board trawlers about twenty miles east of Lowestoft.

One of these died in two days; the other, which when first

brought in was quite lively and in good condition and even

pecked at everything near it, lived ten days, about the longest I



