56 nMsts A^t) warn of 



A small colony of these graceful petrels were found breeding on Copper Island, In 

 Bering Sea, by Dr. Stejneger. The eggs were taken July 12th, a single one in each 

 nest, were deposited in deep holes iii the steep basaltic rocks, three feet or more 

 deep, and it was only with great difficulty that a few could be secured. Some males 

 and some females were taken in the nests. The eggs were in different stages of in- 

 1 cubation, white without gloss, *ith minute dark specks evenly dusted over the blunt 

 end; in one the specks were a little larger, purplish-black, forming a circle around 

 the blunt end. Three eggs measure 34x26, 32.5x25, 34x26.5 mm.* 



106. LEACH'S PETBEL. Oeeomodroma ZeMCOrftott (Vieill.) Geog! Dist.— North 

 Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans. 



Leach's Fork-tailed Petrel at various seasons of the year wanders ovei- a large 

 portion of the watery expanse of the globd It breeds in the months of March, April, 

 May, June, July and August, according to locality. In the northern latitudes of Eu- 

 rope, Eastern and Western North America. On the Atlantic coast of North America 

 from Maine northward ij; nests generally in June and July. . Thousands breed on 

 eomeof the islands on the northern New England coast, especially those in the 

 vicinity of Grand Manan and the small islands of Caseo Bay. The offensive reddish, 

 oily fluid with ti^iis Species almost invariably ejects when handled or irritated prob- 

 ably serves as food for the young. The male and female assist in the duties of in- 

 cubation and often both sexes may be found sitting side by side in their burrow. 

 Eggs collected on the' Atlantic coast are chalky- white, finely dotted on the larger 

 end, often in a circle, with purplish-red and lilac. Twenty specimens average in 

 size 1.34x1.00. On approaching the breeding ground of the petrels, not one of them 

 is to be seen. Many of the birds are far out at sea, and as night comes on those in 

 their burrows come forth and those out at sea return, and the air seems alive with 

 them, flitting about like bats and uttering their peculiar clattering notes. 



106. 1. GTTADALTJPE PETBEL. Oceanodroma macrodactyla (Bryant.) Geog. 

 Dist.— Guadalupe Island, Lower California. 



Mr. Bryant describes this species as being similar to 0. leucorhoa, but larger and 

 . darker. Whit© of upper tail coverts more restricted, and the ends of coverts broadly 

 tipped with black. Pileum darker than back, lighter anteriorly. Bill broader and 

 deeper at base than that of leucorJtoa. He records this petrel as nesting in March 

 on Guadalupe Island, which is situated two hundred and twenty miles southward 

 and westward of San Diego California. Here he found the birds breeding in bur- 

 rows under boulders and fallen branches; these places were from one to three feet 

 in length, at the extremity of which were enlarged chambers where the single egg 

 was laid upon a few pine needles. The egg, Mr. Bryant describes as shaped much 

 like that of a pigeon's, white in color, one end being wreathed with a fine spattering 

 of minute dots of reddish-brown and pale lavender.t The average size of fifty eggs 

 taken March 4th and 5th, is 35.7 by 27 mm. or 1.40x1.06 inches. 



107. BLACK PETBEL. Oceanodroma melania (Bonap.) Geog. Dist. — South 

 Pacific, northward to Lower California. 



Specimens of this species have been taken at Cape St. Lucas and other islands of 

 Lower California, and its eggs as noted below. Mr. Chauncey W. Crandall has in his 



• 1.34x1.02, 1.28X.98, 1.34x1.04 inches.- 



t Additions to the Ornithology of Guadalupe Island. By Walter E. Bryant. Bulletin 

 t, California Academy of Science. 



