STORMY PETREL. 519 
The Stormy Petrel, the least of the whole twenty-four species of its 
tribe enumera‘ed by ornithologists, and the smallest of all palmated 
fowls, is found over the whole Atlantic Ocean, from Europe to North 
America, at all distances from land, and in all weathers, but is partic- 
ularly numerous near vessels, immediately preceding and during a 
gale, when flocks of them crowd in her wake, seeming then more than 
usually active in picking up various inutters from the surface of the 
water. This presentiment of a change of weather is not peculiar to 
the Petrel alone, but is noted in many others, and common to all, even 
to those long domesticated. The Woodpeckers, the Snow-Birds, the 
Swallows, are all observed to be uncommonly busy before a storm, 
searching for food with great eagerness, as if anxious to provide for 
the privations of the coming tempest. The Common Ducks and the 
Geese are infallibly noisy and tumultuous before falling weather; and 
though, with these, the attention of man renders any extra exertions 
for food at such times unnecessary, yet they wash, oil, dress and ar- 
range their plumage with uncommon diligence and activity. The 
intelligent and observing farmer remarks this bustle, and wisely pre- 
pares for the issue; but he is not so ridiculously absurd as to suppose 
that the storm which follows is produced by the agency of these feeble 
creatures,.who are themselves equal sufferers by its effects with man. 
He looks on them rather as useful monitors, who, from the delicacy of 
their organs, and a perception superior to his own, point out the change 
in the atmosphere before it has become sensible to his grosser feelings, 
and thus, in a certain degree, contribute to his security. And why 
should not those who navigate the ocean contemplate the appearance 
of this unoffending little bird in like manner, instead of eyeing it with 
hatred and execration? As well might they curse the midnight light- 
house, that, star-like, guides them on their watery way, or the buoy, 
that warns them of the sunken rocks below, as this harmless wanderer, 
whose manner informs them of the approach of the storm, and thereby 
enables them to prepare for it. 
The Stormy Petrels, or Mother Carey’s Chickens, breed in great 
numbers on the rocky shores of the Bahama and the Bermuda Islands, 
and in some places on the coast of East Florida and Cuba. They 
breed in communities, like the Bank Swallows, making their nests in 
the holes and cavities of the rocks above the sea, returning to feed 
their young only during the night, with the superabundant oily food 
from their stomachs. At these times they may be heard making a 
continued cluttering sound, like frogs, during the whole night. In the 
day they are silent, and wander widely over the ocean. This easily 
accounts for the vast distance they are sometimes seen from land, even 
in the breeding season. The rapidity of their flight is at least equal 
to the fleetness of our Swallows. Calculating this at the rate of one 
mile per minute, twelve hours would be sufficient to waft them a dis- 
tance of seven hundred and twenty miles; but it is probable that the 
far greater part confine themselves much nearer land during that in- 
teresting period. 
In the month of July, while on a voyage from New Orleans to New 
York, I saw few or none of these birds in the Gulf of Mexico, although 
our ship was detained there by calms for twenty days, and carried by 
currents as far south as Cape Antonio, the westernmost extremity of 
Cuba. On entering the Gulf Stream, and passing along the coasts of 
Florida and the Carolinas, these birds made their appearance in great 
