( 310.4 
LEAST PETREL. 
THALASSIDROMA PELAGICA, LEACH. 
PLATE CCCXL. Mater anp FEMALE. 
In August 1830, being becalmed on the banks of Newfoundland, 
I obtained several individuals of this species from a flock composed 
chiefly of Thalassidroma Leachii, and Th. Wilsoni. Their smaller size, 
and the more rapid motions of their wings, rendered them quite con- 
spicuous, and suggested the idea of their being a new species, although 
a closer inspection shewed them to belong to. the present. In their 
general manners, while feeding, floating on the water, or rambling 
round the boat in which I went in pursuit of them, they did not differ 
materially from the other species. Their flight, however, was more 
hurried and irregular, and none of them uttered any note or cry, even 
when wounded and captured. I have been assured that this bird breeds 
on the sandy beaches of Sable Island on the coast of Nova Scotia ; 
but not having had an opportunity of visiting it, or any other breed- 
ing place, I here present you with Mr Hewirson’s observations on 
this subject. 
*¢ In an excursion,” says this amiable and enterprising naturalist, 
“through the Shetland Islands during the present summer, in search of 
rarities for this work (the British Oology), 1 had the very great satis- 
faction of seeing and taking many of these most interesting birds alive ; 
they breed in great numbers on several of the islands, principally upon 
Foula, the north of Hunst, and upon Papa, and Oxna, two small islands 
in the Bay of Scalloway ; the last of these I visited on the 31st of May 
in hopes of procuring their eggs (it being the season in which most of 
the sea-birds begin to lay); but in this I was disappointed ; the fisher- 
men who knew them well by the name of Swallows, assured me that 
my search would be quite useless, that they had not yet ‘ come up 
‘rom sea,” and so it proved. Sixteen days after this (June 16th and 
three following days) I was at Foula, but was alike unsuccessful, the 
birds had arrived at their breeding places, but had not yet begun lay- 
ing their eggs ; numbers of them were sitting in their holes, and were 
easily caught ; one man brought me about a dozen tied up in an old 
