LEACH’S PETREL. 205 
LEACH’S (on FORK-TAILED) PETREL. 
PROcCELLARIA LEUCORRHOA, Vietll. 
Pl. XXXVI, fig. 4. 
Geogr. distr.—Atlantic ocean from St. Kilda southward to Madeira 
and on the American coast from Labrador southwards to Washington ; 
also on the western coast of N. America: in Great Britain it is not 
rare, especially on the western coast of England, but chiefly in 
November and December; on the eastern coast of Scotland it is 
extremely rare: it has been recorded from Ireland; it formerly bred 
in the Orkneys, but is now only known to breed at St. Kilda. 
Food.—Fish, Mollusca, and Crustacea. 
Nest.—Flat, formed of fine grasses carelessly put together, and 
occasionally a few pebbles, at the end of a burrow two to three feet 
deep, like that of the Sand-Martin. 
Position of nest.—Chiefly on grassy islands, the burrow being made 
under the sod and often under rocks. 
Number of eggs.—1. 
Time of nidrfication.—VI. 
Mr. Cecil Smith says:—‘‘ The food of this little Petrel 
consists chiefly of Mollusca, small fish, and Crustacea, 
which it picks up amongst floating sea-weed, and of any 
greasy substances which are found around fishing boats or 
ships out at sea. 
“The Fork-tailed Petrel breeds in sandy burrows or in 
holes in rocks.” —(‘Birds of Somersetshire,’ p. 625.) 
According to Mr. R. Gray, the Fork-tailed Petrel, which 
was discovered in the island of St. Kilda about fifty years 
ago, has since been found breeding there in a colony which 
has established itself on Dun,—an isolated stack,—under 
the loose rocks near the summit. It is also known to 
frequent the island of Mingalay, in Barra, where a few 
pairs incubate every year in company with the Storm 
Petrel.—(See ‘ Birds of the West of Scotland, p. 505). 
Audubon says that when incubating these Petrels remain 
in their burrows until towards sunset, when they start off 
in search of food, returning to their mates or young in 
the morning, and feeding them then. 
