402 THE BIRDS OF DEVOX. 



being fed on minute scraps of fat. It drank freely of water when offered (J. G., Zool. 

 187(1, p. 5110; 1883, p. 421; 1884, p. 54 ; 1887, p. 377). 



Storm-Pefrels are sometimes picked up dead, after severe storms, near Kingsbridge 

 (E. A. S. E., MS. Notes). 



This Petrel has occurred .several times in Torbay, and specimens captured there are 

 in the Torquay Museum. Four were obtained in >"ovember 1801 (W. E.). 



A Storm-Petrel in the A. M. M. was driven into the windows of a shop in the High 

 Street, Exeter, in 1824 (R. S.j ; and another was picked up alive on the road at Upton 

 Pvnes, near Exeter, after the great storm of October Intli, 1877. One occurred at 

 Topsham, October 10th, 188fi (TV. E. P., 'Birds of Devonshire,' p. 187), and one at 

 Exmouth, October 18th. 1891. 



One was obtained at Seaton, November 28th, 1881 (' Field ' for December 30, 1881). 



Two were picked up dead after storms in November 1859 near Barnstaple. 



This minute Petrel i.s hardly larger than a Common Swallow, and Col. 

 Montagu found that it only weighed an ounce. A friend of the Colonel'.s 

 received e<igs taken in June from nests " on the rocky coast of the north 

 of Cornwall," and in the summer of 1860 Mr, Gill of Falmouth found a 

 nest on the Gull Kock in the fine harhour, containing tiro (?) eggs, " So 

 closely did the female bird sit that she allowed herself to be caught on 

 the eggs, and the male was also secured." Mr, E. H, Ilodd also states 

 that on fine summer evenings at sunset small flocks of Storm-Petrels 

 may be seen " five or six miles out in Mount's Bay, flying and hawking 

 about in pursuit of small insects, in the manner of the Swallow tribe, 

 sometimes dipping, but seldom alighting on the sea, skimming for a few 

 seconds with open wings, and mounting again in the air. Whilst thus 

 engaged they appear to be quite regardless of danger, and of the presence 

 of man." In August and September little flocks of a dozen or twenty 

 may often be seen to the westward of Portland (Mansel-Plevdell, ' Birds of 

 Dorset,' p, 114), 



Leach's Petrel. Procellaria leucorrlwa, Vieillot. 



[Fork-tailed Petrel,] 



A casual visitor during the autumn and winter months, when individuals 

 are driven inland by violent gales. It has occurred all along the southern 

 coast of the county on numerous occasions, and several times on the 

 north coast. 



This Petrel is a rather larger bird than the preceding species, and may 

 readily be known by its forked tail ; its black plumage is browner on the 

 underparts, and the wings possess a pale alar band. We have no nesting- 

 station of Leach's Petrel in the South of England, but it breeds on some 

 of the islands of the Outer Hebrides, It is no rarer in our S.W, Counties 

 than the Storm-Petrel, and is frequently picked up on the coast, or some 

 way inland, after heavy gales. Many were obtained in this manner after 

 the severe storms of October 1801, We possess two very perfect speci- 

 mens, one from the streets of Barnstaple, the other found dead upon the 

 Brauntou Burrows ; and we ourselves one day met with another on the 

 binks of the Taw, which was too much battered by the weather to make 

 into a skin. 



