STORMY PETREL. 
169 
''^pection, they proved to be a vegetable substance, 
.^'deutly tlie seeds of some marine plant, and about as 
as mustard seed. The stomach of one contained 
®‘*h, half dijrested, so large that I should have sup- 
TOsed jj. bulky for the bird to swallow ; another 
filled with the tallow which I had thrown over- 
and all had quantities of the seeds already men- 
/'’bed both in their stomachs and pzzards; in the 
^^tcr Were also numerous minute pieces of barnacle 
On a comparison of the seeds above mentioned 
those of the gulf-weed, so common and abundant 
^ this part of the ocean, they were found to be the 
xiius it appears, that these seeds, floating 
^^.‘'haps a little below the surface, and the barnacles 
.*th which ships’ bottoms usually abound, being both 
rtbbsionally thrown up to the surface by the action of 
e!®, 'Vessel through the water in blowing weather, 
hee these birds to follow in the ship’s wake at such 
and not, as some have imagined, merely to seek 
(Mter from the storm, the greatest violence of which 
Seem to disregard. There is also the greasy dish 
(i^hiugs, and other oily substances thrown over by 
book, on which they feed with avidity, but with 
j bat good nature, their manners being so gentle, that 
fj^.^bver observed the slightest appearance of quarrelling 
'{’spute among them. 
4 
circumstance is worthy of being noticed, and 
take over the ocean : In 
tjjb's the vast range they 
'b? at these birds quill-feather was broken in each 
"•in,* 
^ich 
of an individual, and hung fluttering in the wind. 
rendered it so conspicuous among the rest as to 
0^ I M. ~ 
its • bw n to all on board. This bird, notwithstanding 
(|^*.bco^venience, continued with us for nearly a week, 
li ®’bg which we sailed a distance of more than four 
fupbred miles to the north. Flocks continued to 
rP,"' us until near Sandy Hook, 
tin’ - ■ ■ - 
Dji . be length of time these birds remain on wing is 
a surprising. As soon as it was light enough in 
. ^ i « ax — ai roainin^ 
'**bruing to perceive them, they were found 
bf as usual; and I have ofteu sat in the evening, 'in 
