THE BIRD BOOK 
103. Least Petrel. Ilalocyptena microsoma. 
Least Petrel 
Stormy Petrel 
Forked-tailed Petrel 
Range. Pacific coast of America from Lower 
California to Panama. The Least Petrel is the 
smallest of this family, in length measuring only 
5.75 inches. Their plumage is entirely dark 
sooty. They have been found breeding on San 
Benito Island, Lower California, and they prob- 
ably do on others farther south. The single 2 gg 
that this bird lays is white with a wreath of fine 
black specks around one and sometimes both 
ends. Data. San Benito Is., Lower California, 
June 12, 1897. No nest, the egg being simply 
laid on the bare rock in a crevice. Size 1.00 
x .75. Collector, A. W. Anthony. 
101. Storm Petrel. Tlialassidroma pela- 
gic a. 
North Atlantic Ocean chiefly on the European 
side, wintering south to New Brunswick. Small- 
est of the white rumped, black petrels; 5.75 
inches in length. 
This species is the orig- 
inally called “Mother 
Cary’s Chicken” by the £ 
sailors. They nest abund- : 
antly on many of the is- 
lands off the coasts of 
Europe and the British 
Isles, laying their single Wnite 
egg either in burrows or crevices among the cliffs. 
Data. — Coast of County Kerry, Ireland, June 1, 
1895. Single egg laid at the end of burrow in a 
sea cliff. Size 1.05 x.80; white with a wreath of 
very fine dots about the larger end. Collector, 
G. H. McDonald. 
105 . Forked-tailed Petrel. Oceanodroma furcata. 
Range. — North Pacific from California to Alaska, breeding in the Aleutians. 
These birds have a plumage of bluish gray, the wings being darker and the 
underparts lightest. The nests are made in burrows or crevices in the banks. 
Data. — Uniak Is., Alaska, June 10, 1900. No nest. Single egg laid at the 
end of a burrow. Several pairs nesting near. Egg white with a fine wreath 
of purplish black specks about the large end. Size 1.25 x .95. 
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