PETREL. 



363 



natives of the Orkneys agreed, for a trifling- remuneration, to traverse 

 the rock and take me some from out its fissures. Accordingly, ac- 

 coutred with a rope of hemp and hog's bristles, coiled over his shoul- 

 ders, he proceeded to the cliff ; having made one end fast, by means of 

 a stake, he threw the coil over the face of the rock, and gradually 

 lowered himself down, with great caution and circumspection, carefully 

 pressing his feet hard upon the narrow ridges before he loosened his 

 firm grasp of the rope, which he never altogether abandoned. I had 

 thrown myself on my chest to have a better view of him over the cliff, 

 and certainly to see the dexterity and bravery with which he threw 

 himself from one aperture to another, was truly grand. The tumbling- 

 waves of the Atlantic were foaming many hundred feet beneath, and 

 dashing their curling cream-like surges against the dark base of the cliff, 

 in sheets of the most beautiful white ; while the herring and black 

 backed gull, alternately sweeping past him, so as to be almost within 

 reach of his arm, threw a wildness into the scene, increased by the dis- 

 cordant scream of the former and laughing bark of the latter. This, 

 however, he appeared entirely to disregard, and, continuing his search, 

 returned in about half an hour with seven or eight of the Stormy 

 Petrel, tied up in an old stocking." 1 



The female lays two eggs, of a dirty dingy white, encircled at the 

 larger end by a ring of fine rust-coloured freckles. 



It is no uncommon occurrence to find birds of this species dead, con- 

 tiguous to the coast, and sometimes remote, such we have had brought 

 to us several times in the months of October and November ; a spe- 

 cimen was killed near Bath, and another is said to have been shot so 

 far inland as Derbyshire. From these circumstances, it is surmised 

 that they sometimes fly across the land, or more probably are driven in- 

 land by the strength of the gales, frequently occurring at the season 

 when they have been found, and which even the powerful wing of this 

 bird cannot always resist. But what occasions the annual mortality 

 which has been noticed in different parts, it is difficult to determine ; 

 perhaps illness is the occasion of their flying to the shore, to make a 

 short cut across promontaries, or, in a weak state, to avoid a storm or 

 opposing wind, and being unable to proceed far, are found dead on the 

 land.* This is a Pelagian bird, living remote from land, except in the 

 breeding season. They are seen in great numbers all over the vast 

 Atlantic ocean, and will frequently follow a ship for many days, sup- 

 posed for the purpose of sheltering themselves in the wake of the 

 vessel, but more probably for the sake of the various matter thrown 



1 Loudon's Mag. of Nat. Hist. 



