148 
Allen’s naturalist’s library. 
approximately ; but it had to be determined precisely and to 
learn exactly where she was, the bird had to be stalked in the 
dark noiselessly. No gleam could be permitted to escape from 
the lantern. Loose stones and falls over rocks — to avoid them 
it was sometimes necessary to dispense with slippers and feel 
one’s way in stockings only, for should the Petrel be alarmed 
once with the noise or the light, she would probably remain 
silent a considerable time. Now and then it would happen 
that upon the boulder beneath which she was sitting being 
almost attained, the bird would cease calling. When this 
occurred, and many minutes elapsed without her cry being 
resumed, it was advisable to make a detour, and approach the 
rock from the opposite side, as her silence might be attributed 
to her seeing a person advancing towards her, and she would 
probably recommence her call so soon as he was out of sight. 
If she did not, a small pebble thrown amongst the rocks would 
usually elicit some sounds from her, as she would most likely 
conclude that the noise was being made by her mate returning 
to the nest. When the stone beneath which the bird was 
domiciled was gained at last, redoubled care had to be exer- 
cised. By stooping down and listening very attentively, her 
position could be accurately ascertained. Then the lantern 
was suddenly turned upon her before she had time to creep 
out of sight, and her egg could be secured with the hand or 
with a spoon tied on to a stick. ’ 
“ Sometime# I worked without a lantern, and marked the 
positions of the nest with piles of stones, so that they might be 
revisited by day. Several eggs were obtained in February 
from nests which had been thus marked early in the previous 
month. The first egg taken by us was found by a retriever on 
^e 22nd of January, on an island in Swain’s Bay. Captain 
Fairfax sent me a nestling a day or two before we sailed for 
^e Cape. 1 wo of the eggs were laid in unusual situations. 
One of them was found by a man under a Pringlea plant • 
but this may have been an egg of Garrodia nereis. The other 
was deposited Just above the tide-mark in a cavity of a rock 
rather open to the air and light. I had found the bird there 
one night, had taken her up into my hand, and had gently 
replaced her in the hollow, nearly a month before the egg was 
laid.” 
