THE NIDOLOGIST 77 
of leaves, so that it is partly hidden. From 
the entrance the burrow runs at an easy 
slant for a few inches and then parallel with 
the surface of the ground, from two to five 
inches below. The total length of the bur- 
row varies greatly, being from one to three 
feet. It is seldom straight but usually very 
crooked. The birds in digging evidently 
follow the direction of least resistance. The 
debris is scratched out into a slight mound 
in front of the entrance. The cavity at the 
end of the burrowjisfabout three inches in 
height by five inches broad, and contains 
on the saucer-shaped floor a slight lining of 
dry grass-blades. The eggs of the two 
species are much alike, though those of the 
Fork-tail average somewhat the larger. 
Five eggs of the latter measure in inches: 
MeeOsO7,, L124X1 00, 1.33%.94, 1.31%.98, 
I.30xI.02. Five selected eggs of the Leach’s 
Petrel measure 1.14x.88, I.21x.GI, I.24x- 
-92, 1.33X-93, 1.30x.97. The eggs when 
fresh and unblown are light pink, but soon 
become nest-stained. A faint suggestion 
of dark brown dots about the larger end is 
frequentlyjto be seen,’ though the majority 
of the eggs of both species are immaculate. 
The sitting Petrels when pulled out of 
their nests are quite pugnacious, biting 
and squealing most vociferously. They are 
exceedingly awkward on land and progress 
with a shambling, unsteady gait. They 
only succeed in launching themselves on 
the wing after several attempts, and even 
after well started, an interposing weed- 
stock will throw them back to the ground. 
When tossed into the air they instantly 
take wing and dodge bat-like among the 
trees and aresoon lost to sight as they skim 
swiftlygon ward, toward thefopenjsea. 
The Petrels seem to have some formid- 
able enemy,as was shown by their remains, 
together with egg-shells scattered,on many 
parts of the island. I think the hundreds 
of Northwest Crows which breed on the 
island are accountable to some extent. 
As I was walking over one of the ridges 
of the island, I was attracted by a move- 
ment in the grass and upon examining 
found a Crow which_was evidently, digging 
into a Petrel burrow for either the egg or 
bird or more probably both. I nearly caught 
the Crow but it dodged me and flew away 
in a very culpable caught-in-the-act man- 
ner. This was the only instance which 
would go to prove that the Crows prey on 
Petrels, but I think that the hoards of 
Crows on the island must have an attrac- 
tion greater than the exposed eggs of the 
Gulls and Comorants which are not avail- 
able in sufficient quantities to feed so many 
Crows. I saw Crows several times carry- 
ing Cormorant’s eggs spitted on the ends of 
their bills. 
On July 7 and 8, through a misunder- 
standing with the Indians, I was left on the 
island over night without either ‘‘grub’’ 
or blankets. Thus, in anything but a 
voluntary manner, I was given an opportu- 
nity to observe the Petrels, which I would 
probably not otherwise have had. 
After the sun set and the long summer 
twilight began to make the woods a little 
gloomy, the Petrels became more active. 
Their curious calls came from every direc- 
tion in the ground, though as yet not a bird 
was to be seen. Presently a little stir in 
the grass called attention to a Petrel which 
clumsily scrambled from his hole, and after 
the usual fumbling put himself in flight, 
and betook himself speedily out to sea. 
Soon others appeared, and others and 
others. The Crows, their enemies, had by 
this time gone to roost, and as the gloom 
grew deeper the Petrels became more numer- 
ous. Those which had been out to sea all 
day began to arrive among the trees, and 
were even more awkward then those leav- 
ing. They flew against branches and bushes 
and into my face, but all ultimately seemed 
to know where their respective homes were. 
The chorus of their cries was curious, and 
depressing to one’s spirits, and the chilly 
air was constantly being fanned into my 
face by their noiseless wings. ‘The light- 
colored ghostly forms of the Fork-tails were 
much more readily discernible than the 
dark Leach’s. 
The ground was alive with struggling 
Petrels, and I picked up as many as I 
chose. It took fully three minutes to pro- 
perly kill and pluck each bird, sol was 
occupied for a considerable part of the short 
night. As the twilight of evening slowly 
merged into dawn, the height of their acti- 
vity was reached. I walked from end to 
end of the wooded part of the island, and 
everywhere the Petrels were equally num- 
erous. 
As I began to feel cold and likewise 
hungry, the novelty of these strange experi- 
ences naturally wore off. After considerable 
searching for dry fuel, I started a smoulder- 
ing little blaze, whick lighted up the dusky 
suroundings, together with the flitting 
forms of the birds, thus disclosing a very 
