North Atlantic
Voyage from Liverpool to Boston - Gulf Stream waters
1911.
August 8
(No 3)
[August 8, 1911]

Mother Carey's Chickens
Procellaria pelagica becomes scarce
Oceanites oceanica becomes very abundant.

  Small dark-colored Petrels with white rumps were in sight every
few minutes and at times almost continuously, during the greater part 
of the day. I must have seen at least 100 in all. Of these I
identified 2 positively and a third doubtfully as Stormy Petrels. One
(the first noted - at 8 A.M.) circled under the bows, directly beneath
me, where I made quite sure that it was a P. pelagica [Procellaria pelagica]. Another,
seen about 3 P.M. by Allen as well as myself was certainly
of the same species. Both birds looked so much blacker, as well as
smaller, than Wilson's Petrel & had a very different & more bat-
like & erratic flight. All the others seen were referred without
hesitation to O. oceanica [Oceanites oceanica]. Allen & I repeatedly saw their feet
extended beyond the tail. Their flight was swallow-like, for
the most part, but occasionally rather more like that of a
Night Hawk. None alighted on the water nor did we see any
of them pick up any food or even attempt to do so. Indeed they
kept out on wing wandering aimlessly about.