PETRELS 



(109) Oceanites oceanicus 



IKiihL) 



WILSON'S PETREL. Plumage 

 as shown — darker than that of 

 Leach's Petrel; tail square-ended; 

 coverts white; legs long, webs yellow. 

 L., 7.00; W., 6.00; T., 3.00; Tar., 1.30; 

 B., .50 



Range — This is the most common 

 petrel off our coast in summer. 

 Breeds on Antarctic iskinds in Feb- 

 ruary. 



(no) WHITE-BELLIED PE- 

 TREL (Fregetta grallaria) (VieilL). 

 Southern oceans; accidental in Fla. 



(in) WHITE-FACED PETREL 

 (Pelagodroma marina) (Lath.). South- 

 ern oceans; accidental off Mass. and 

 Great Britain. Regularly occurs north 

 to the Canaries. 



from one to two feet in length in soft soil. An enlarged 

 chamber at the end of the burrow is lined with grasses and, 

 on this, a single white egg is laid; about the large end of this 

 egg is usually a wreath of very tiny brown spots. The 

 birds alternate in sitting upon the egg, one always being in 

 the nest during the daytime and the other returning to 

 relieve it at dusk. They are never seen fljang about the 

 nesting ground during daylight, the one off duty being at 

 sea feeding. 



The young petrels are fed only at night, upon oily yellow- 

 ish fluid regurgitated by the parents. This fluid has a 

 penetrating, disagreeable odor and is always discernible 

 on petrel skins or eggs. 



WILSON'S PETRELS nest on Antarctic islands and 

 spend their winter, which is our summer, off our coast. 

 They course to and fro over the ocean, sometimes following 

 the wakes of steamers or sailing vessels, watching for edible 

 scraps that may be thrown overboard, or again, congrega- 



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