456 VERTEBRATE FAUNA OF LAKELAND 



birds, at least so far as concerned the N.W. coast. Usually the 

 specimens that we meet with are young birds, easily distinguished 

 by their fresh plumage and the possession of a pale grey alar 

 bar. All the birds which I saw in 1891 were adults, deep in 

 moult, and very ragged in plumage. Their appearance was 

 fully a fortnight in advance of the usual arrival of this Petrel 

 on our coast in autumn ; October and November are the two 

 months in which it principally occurs. Some stragglers have 

 been obtained in December, but I cannot recall having ever 

 met with the species locally during the first four months in the 

 year, and should be disposed to think that the birds noticed in 

 October have been forced upon our shores whilst migrating to 

 winter quarters in some more southern latitude. The species 

 is almost unknown locally, except as a scarce autumnal visitant. 

 I have never met with it at any other season, but T. C. Heysham 

 was more fortunate. In the year 1841 he obtained a local 

 specimen of this Petrel at the end of July, sending it on the 

 31st of that month to B. Greenwell, that his bird-stuffer ' might 

 have an opportunity of seeing a scarce British bird in the flesh.' 



STORM PETREL. 



Procellaria pelagica, L. 



In bygone years we used to regard this Petrel as the most 

 frequent representative on our coasts, of the family to which it 

 belongs, and there can be no doubt that such it used to be. 

 Moreover it occurred inland on more numerous occasions than 

 the Fork-tailed Petrel. Whatever the reason may be, there 

 can be no doubt that this species has become rarer on our 

 coast than it was at one time, while the larger species has 

 visited us in larger numbers than was formerly the case. I 

 have seen specimens of this Petrel obtained all round our 

 coast, from the sands at Flookburgh to the mussel scars of 

 the Solway Firth, but the species appears to be less gregarious 

 than the Fork-tailed Petrel. It has been obtained locally in 

 all the winter months. 



