THE STORM-PETREL 3"7 



Islands the Shearwater is called a Crew, from the harsh note uttered 

 by the bird when its burrow is invaded ; in the north, a Lyrie or 

 Scrabe. 



THE STORM-PETREL 



PROCELLARIA PELAGICA 



General plumage like the last ; tail even at the extremity ; legs moderate ; 

 membranes black. Length scarcely six inches. Eggs white. 



Under the name of ' Mother Carey's Chickens' the Petrels must 

 be known to all readers of voyages. According to the belief popular 

 in the forecastle, these birds are invisible during calm or bright 

 weather; but when the sky lowers, and a storm is impending, 

 suddenly, no one knows whence, forth come these ill-omened heralds 

 of the tempest, inspiring more terror than would be caused even 

 by the hurricane wtuch they are supposed to commence. In reality, 

 the Petrels are scarcely birds of the day ; they love to hide them- 

 selves in holes and behind stones. It is not, therefore, surprising 

 that when the sea is calm, and the sun bright, they lurk in their 

 hiding-places, if near enough to land ; or, if on the open ocean, lie 

 asleep on the surface of the water, unnoticed, because still and of 

 small size. An overcast sky, however, awakes them as twilight 

 would, and they leave their hiding-places, or rise from their watery 

 bed, not because a storm is impendmg, but because the cloud which 

 accompanies the storm brings them the desired gloom. When in 

 motion they are more conspicuous than when at rest, and they 

 foUow the wake of a ship for the same reason that other sea-fowl 

 do, for the sake of the offal thrown overboard. They wUl some- 

 times accompany a ship for days, showing that they have untiring 

 power of wing, and to all but the superstitious greatly relieving 

 the monotony of the voyage. 



The Petrel builds its nest, a rude structure of weeds and rubbish, 

 either in the hole of a cliff or under stones on the beach, and lays 

 a single egg. It rarely comes abroad by day, and if disturbed ejects 

 from its mouth an oily matter, after the manner of the Fulmar. 

 Towards evening it comes forth from its stronghold, and skims the 

 sea in quest of food, which consists of floating animal matter of all 

 kinds. Its name. Petrel, or Little Peter, is derived from its habit 

 of occasionally skimming along so close to the surface of the sea as 

 to dip its feet in the water, and present the appearance of walking ; 

 but its ordinary flight is very like that of the Swallow. 



The Storm-Petrel breeds in the Orkney, Shetland, and Scilly 

 Islands and a few on the Welsh coast, also in the Channel Islands, 

 but a genuine ocean-bird quits the land as soon as its young are 

 able to accompany it. It is frequently seen in the Atlantic and 



