Order XV IT. Tubinares 



251 



Family PROCELLARIID^, or Petrels 



The Storm-petrel (Thalassidroma pelagica), the 

 Mother Carey's chicken of sailors, who beUeve that its 

 presence portends a storm, is a black bird with white 

 rump and vent-region. It flits lightly along the surface 

 of the waves in mid-ocean, and does not confine itself to 



storm -Petrel 



the coasts, while its feet commonly hang down and touch 

 the water, so that it appears to be walking on it. The 

 name "Petrel" has reference to this habit, and is 

 derived from St Peter's attempt to do the same. This 

 species breeds from the Scilly Islands and many parts 

 of Ireland up the west of Britain to Shetland, but very 

 rarely on our eastern or southern coasts ; it is, however, 



