310 
POPULAE HISTORY OP BIRDS. 
half of feathers have been procured there in one season ; so 
that 112^000 birds must have been killed to produce that 
quantity^ twenty birds yielding only one pound of feathers. 
Captain Stokes"^ found that the sealers on an island in 
Basses Straits lived chiefly on these birds, and cured them 
both for use and for sale ; he describes the island as being 
in many parts perfectly honeycombed with their burrows. 
Mfeiny of the oceanic birds resemble the Belphinidce in 
their curiosity. Dr. Andrew Smith describes a new species 
of that broad-billed genus near the petrels, named by Illiger 
Fach;i/ptilay which he names P. Banhii, It is eminently 
a sea-frequenting species, seldom visiting the coast near the 
Cape of Good Hope, except during very stormy weather. 
It is constantly,^^ says he, to be seen from vessels sailing 
along the eastern coast, particularly during the winter sea- 
son ; and it has often been a source of amusement to me to 
watch how perseveringly an individual of this species would 
accompany a ship, even during blowing weather, without 
appearing to have any object in view, or to suffer any fatigue 
or inconveniencef/^ All voyagers record the gratification 
they derive from noticing the flight and manners of birds 
* Discoveries iu Australia, vol. i. p. 264. 
t lilustrations of Zoology of South Africa, pi. Iv. {Aves). 
