268 SWIMMERS. 



African coast. In winter it wanders south to the Azores and 

 Canaries. 



The Stormy Petrel, or Least Petrel, as it was formerly called, is 

 the smallest of the web-footed birds, and on the wing has something 

 of the appearance of a Barn Swallow. It has completely webbed 

 feet, and can swim with ease, but is very seldom seen upon the 

 surface of the water, though it has a curious habit of skimming close 

 to the surface and paddling the water with its feet, whence is said 

 to have originated the name of Petrel, or " Little Peter." The bird 

 is rarely seen walking on the land, though it can walk with ease 

 and is rather graceful; but the head and body are carried so far 

 in advance of the feet as to make the Petrel appear unsteady. 



Like others of this group, the Stormy Petrel does not often appear 

 about its nesting site during the day, and those examples that have 

 been captured alive have shown so little inclination to display any 

 activity before the approach of sunset that the species has been 

 considered nocturnal; but those that are met with on the open 

 ocean are busily engaged gleaning food through all hours of the 

 day. 



This is a rather silent bird, and its notes are heard only when the 

 bird is on or near the nest. Hewitson tells of being guided to the 

 nests by the " singing " of the parents, which he describes as 

 resembling the chatter of Swallows. 



The name of Mother Carey's Chicken, thought by some philolo- 

 gists to be a corruption of Mater cara, was originally applied 

 to this species by seamen, but it is now applied to all the small 

 Petrels. 



Sailors fancy that the appearance of these birds is an evil omen 

 and foretells a storm, — whicji is partly true, for they revel in a 

 storm and seek it. The Petrels have no dread of winds or waves, 

 and find their harvest amid the tumult, fearlessly gleaning their 

 food from the curling seas. 



Note. — Examples of several species of Petrel occasionally 

 wander into our waters from their customary cruising area. These 

 are the Black-capped Petrel {^strelata hasitatd), from the 

 tropics ; Peale's Petrel {jEstrelata gularis), from the Antarc- 

 tic; Bulwer's Petrel {Bulweria bulweri). from the eastern side 

 of the Atlantic; White-bellied Petrel (Cymodroma grallaria), 

 from the tropics ; White-faced Petrel (Pelagodroma marina^, 

 from the Southern Ocean. 



