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weather, as the appearance of the King- 
fisher denoted fine weather, denominated 
the halcyon days by the ancients. These 
auguries, however, may be founded in 
fact, for as the Kingfisher is only seen on 
the sea-shores, or on the coasts of bays and 
estuaries in the temperate months ; so the 
Petrel, whose rapid wing outstrips the 
wind, flies from the storm, and in its pas- 
sage over the vast Atlantic and other seas, 
may truly warn the mariner of the ap- 
proaching tempest. Thus all that is related 
is not fiction; thousands have witnessed 
the tempest that has succeeded the appear- 
ance of the little harbinger of iEolus ; the 
fact is only known to the mariner, he does 
not reason upon the occurrence, and unable 
to account for their sudden appearance, 
calls in superstition to his aid. 
This species measures six inches in 
length, and thirteen inches in breadth, 
The female is similar in plumage to the 
other sex. 
Like other rock birds the Stormy Petrel 
makes no nest, but deposits one egg, about 
the size of that of the Blackbird, but more 
