WILSON’S PETREL. 
265 
floating mollusca, and are extremely gratified with any kind of 
fat animal matter thrown overboard, which they invariably dis- 
cover, however small the morsel, or mountainous and foaming 
the raging wave on which it may happen to float. On making 
such discovery they suddenly stop in their airy and swallow- 
like flight, and whirl instantly down to the water. Sometimes 
nine or ten thus crowd together like a flock of chickens 
scrambling for the same morsel ; at the same time, pattering 
on the water with their feet, as if walking on the surface, they 
balance themselves with gently fluttering and outspread 
wings, and often dip down their heads to collect the sinking 
object in pursuit. On other occasions, as if seeking relief from 
their almost perpetual exercise of flight, they jerk and hop 
widely over the water, rebounding, as their feet touch the sur- 
face, with great agility and alertness. 
There is something cheerful and amusing in the sight of 
these little voyaging flocks steadily following after the vessel, 
so light and unconcerned, across the dreary ocean. During a 
gale it is truly interesting to witness their intrepidity and ad- 
dress. Unappalled by the storm that strikes terror into the 
breast of the mariner, they are seen coursing wildly and rapidly 
over the waves ; descending their sides, then mounting with the 
breaking surge which threatens to burst over their heads, 
sweeping through the hollow waves as in a sheltered valley, 
and again mounting with the rising billow, they trip and jerk 
sportively and securely on the surface of the roughest sea, 
defying the horrors of the storm, and, like some magic being, 
seem to take delight in braving overwhelming dangers. At 
other times we see these aerial mariners playfully coursing 
from side to side in the wake of the ship, making excursions 
far and wide on every side, now in advance, then far behind, 
returning again to the vessel as if she were statiojiary, though 
moving at the most rapid rate. A little after dark they gener- 
ally cease their arduous course and take their interrupted rest 
upon the water, arriving in the wake of the vessel they had 
left, as I have observed, by about nine or ten o’clock of the 
following morning. In this way we were followed by the same 
