176 PETREL. 



Found in Norfolk Island, in great plenty, and burrows in the 

 sand like a rabbit. On Mount Pitt, the highest land in the Island, 

 the ground was as full of holes as a warren, and an immense number 

 of aquatic birds burrowed, and made their nests in them.* These, 

 during the day, were at sea, but as night approached, they returned 

 in vast flocks. The settlers lighted small fires every night on this 

 mount, about which the birds dropped as fast as the people 

 could pick them up, and kill them ; for the wings of sea birds are 

 generally so long, as to prevent their rising, till they can ascend 

 some small eminence ; hence the difficulty in the Abatross to detach 

 itself from the surface of the water, which it can never do without 

 the greatest exertion. But, when it is fortunate enough to gain a 

 small rock or shelf, it has only to throw itself therefrom, and take 

 wing immediately. This we believe is the species called in Norfolk 

 Island, Mutton Bird ; probably from the flesh having somewhat 

 of the flavour of that meat. Among the drawings brought to 

 England by Mr. White, was the figure of one, having the breast 

 greatly enlarged, and covered with loose brown down, instead of 

 feathers, and said to be a young bird, in the second or middle state 

 of plumage. 



A bird similar to this in respect to feathers, had all the front 

 before the eyes mixed with white; bill and legs black. 



7— DOUBTFUL PETREL 



Le Martin-p£cheui- de Mer aux Ailes longues, Voy. d'Azara, iv. No. 422. 



TOTAL length thirty inches, breadth sixty-seven and a half. 

 Bill bluish white, thirty-eight lines long, hollowed at the base, from 

 which it is straight for three-fourths of the length, then bent and 

 hooked ; from the opening of the nostrils to the place of curvature a 



* Hunter's History of Port Jackson. 



