258 
STORM PETREL. 
a good cabinet specimen.” "V\ r e add the description 
of the specimen from Madeira, originally figured in 
“ Illustrations of Ornithology.” AVe may remarlc, 
that this bird is of a larger size than the greater 
number of the species, and exhibits a cuneated form 
of the tail, in which member, even among the British 
birds, we shall see a considerable variation. 
“ The length is about ten inches; the plumage is 
entirely of a deep sooty black, paler upon the throat, 
and on the breast and belly slightly tinged with 
brown ; the form of the tail is the greatest peculi- 
arity, this contains twelve feathers, and is very 
much cuneated, the centre plumes being about two 
inches longer than the exterior, thus giving it a form 
at variance with the smaller and true petrels, where 
we find it either square or forked.” 
THE STORM PETREL. 
Thalassidroma pelagica. 
PLATE XXX. 
Procellaria pelagica, Linn . — Petrel tempete, Temm . — Storm 
or Stormy Petrel, or Finch, of British authors. 
To our own observation, this is a much more un- 
common bird than that which we shall notice 
next ; we have scarcely ever met with it living, 
at the same time, the breeding places that are re- 
