256 



AVES. 



llie rest ; their nostrils arc nnitetl to forin a tube, wliidi lies along tlir l>ar-k of the npper maiuVihlc ; 

 and their feet, instead of a back toe, have merely a claw implanted in tlie heel. They are, of ail the Pal- 

 mipede.'i, those which remain most constantly at a great distance from land ; and when a tempest comes 

 on, Ihey arc often compelled to seek refuge on reefs and ships, from which circumstance they derive their 

 name of Slorm-hlrds: that of Pelrel (a diminntive of Peter,) lias been applied to them from their habit 

 of walking on the waves, wliicli they do with the absistaiice of their \\ing:^. They nestle in the holes 

 of rocks, [producing Iiiit a single egg,] and spurt upon tbi'sc who disturb them an oily Huid, wi;h 

 whiidi their stomachs appear to be always lilled. The greater nundjer of species inhabit the Antarciic 

 seas. [Their stomach is extremrly capacious, and but slightly nuiscidar, and they feed principally on 

 oily substances.] 



Those are more particularly called Petrels {ProceUaria), the lower mandilile of which is truncated. 



The larg-est species, or Giant Petrel (Proc. pii'^fnfea), inhalnts the Austral .Seas, and exceeds a Goose in size. Its 

 plumage is blacki.sh, hut with varieties more or less wliite. In the same seas is found 



The Spotted Petrel (Pr. c(7/)t'H.??.s-).— Size of a small Duck, and white, spotted with black above. It is often 

 mentioned by naviirators [as the Cape Pifii'nv]. 



Tlie Fulmar Petrel {Pr. fj f a ci a /i.v).— White, uitli ash-coloured mr.ntlr, the hill and feet yellow, and size that ot 

 alarf^eDuck. It nestles in the precipitous coasts of the [northern] British i;sles, and is foiuid throiitjiiont the 

 whole north. [It has heen computed that this species is the most numerous in individuals of the whole class. 

 Though rare in our latitudes, its numbers in the Arctic seas are inconceivable] 



The Storm-Petrel!^ (T//nIas.':idrowa, Vig.) — 

 Are certain small species, with a somewhat shorter bill, rather longer legs, and black plumage, wdiich 



are more particularly designated Storm-birda [and 

 Mother Carey's Chickens'] by mariners. [Their habits 

 are crepuscular and nocturnal, as are al^o those of 

 most of the tribe: and their thght considerably 

 resembles that of a Swallow.] 



Tht,' ino--t conuniin iPror. pclai]icn, Brisson) is scarcely 



larger than a Lark, but stands higher on the legs. It is 



entirely brown-black, except the croup, which is white, 



and there is a trace of white on the gi-eater wing coverts. 



^Vhen this bird seeks a shelter upon vessels, it is a sii^n i^t 



an approaching storm. [That of America {Ph. Wi/.^j/iih is 



J ii; 1-/.— ^[L.nu.n oi oniriii , (.■irej. (Ustiuct, aud is sonietimes met with on our shores; as is 



al?o a third sperirs willi a forki^d tail, T/>. BiiHudiii. Alter tempestuous weather, these birds are not unfrequently 



found far inland, gencralK upon Ih'; liii^di road, unable to rise]. 



We ?>eparate, with Poisson, by the name i>f 



The Shkarw'ateu^; (Pnf^iiifs), — 

 Those species in wTiich tlie tip of the lower mandible is curved ildwnwards, like that of the upper, and 

 the nostrds of ^\lliell, aUlniugb tubular, do not open by a couiun)n orifice, but by two distincc boles. 

 Their beak also is proportionally longer. 



'i'lie Cinereous Shenrwater (P. ciurrenx ; Proc. p/iipni/x, Cm.) — Ash-coloured above. ■\\l!i()>h bene.Tlh. \Aith the 

 wini's ;intl l:nl lilackish; the yoiuig rather more deeply coloured. Its size is nearly that of a Ci"Ow, and it is 

 tunnd ;diiri,~i m er\ \\ here, [but rarely so far north as on the British shores]. 



A sniallei- species was long confounded \\ itii it, Idack above and white below, the Manks Shearwater (P. anglo- 

 i-inn), w linh inhabits the northern shares ni ;S(ntl,ind and its isles in immense numbers, and which the inhabitants 

 salt foi umter provision. [A third (P. fV'.vv/r/rv, Vieillut) has occurred in Britain, and there are two or three 

 min-e, fnrthiM- south.] 



Navigators sometimes mention, under the name of Petrels, certain birds of the Antarctic seas, which 

 should make two particular genera. One is 



The IIalaorome {Ifahiilrnma, lUiger), — 

 Mliieh, with the beak and form of the Petrels and Shearwaters, has a dilatable throat like the Cormo- 

 rants, and entirely wants the thumb, as in the Albatrosses. 



S'urh is Pr. uriuatrix, Giuelin. 



The olhei' is 



