LEACH'S PETREL. 539 



Down on hands and knees we went to work, digging for 

 the sitting birds. The reddish mould, staining hands and 

 clothing of the operator, was quite mellow; and following 

 the sinuous course of the burrows, generally several feet 

 in length, the birds, each with its single egg, were soon 

 brought to light. Occasionally the burrow contained two 

 birds and no egg, the pair probably cohabiting previous to 

 incubation. On being unearthed, the birds seemed per- 

 fectly astounded and stupid — -dazed, perhaps, from having 

 the light of day thus suddenly let in upon them. Some- 

 times they would sidle off the egg; often they would per- 

 mit themselves to be taken without any effort to escape. If 

 thrown into the air they would come down again almost or 

 quite to the ground, striking against any object which might 

 happen to be in their way. Only after a few seconds could 

 they command their wonted agility and swiftness of wing. 

 Frequently, if taken in the hand, or flying against a bush 

 or a stump, they would vomit the clear yellow oil from 

 which their peculiar odor arises, and which is common to 

 the whole family of Petrels. This was Leach's Petrel 

 (Cymochorea leucorrhod), which breeds commonly along the 

 coast of Nova Scotia, and also on the northeastern coast of 

 Maine. About Mud and Seal Islands, N. S., their nests 

 could be found all through the woods — in the ground, in 

 rotten logs and stumps, and under the roots of trees. 

 About 8.50 in length, 18.50 in extent, with wing 6.25, tail 

 3.25, bill .Y2, and tarsus 1.02, the color is sooty-brown, 

 darkest on the wings and tail, the wing-coverts ashy, andtthe 

 tail-coverts white. About 1.30X.95, oval, both ends alike, 

 the egg is white, with a wreath of delicate light-red spots 

 around one end, the spots sometimes clustering about the 

 point, or the egg may be pure white. As it is laid on the 

 damp earth, or at most on a few rootlets still retaining the 



