FORKED-TAILED PETREL. 
102 
emarginate or even, of twelve feathers. Tongue much flattened, tapering 
to a. horny point ; oesophagus wide, within the thorax enormously distended, 
and with the proventriculus forming an ovate sac, which is recurved ; stomach 
very small ; intestine short, of moderate width ; coeca small ; cloaca globular. 
LEACH’S PETREL.— FORKED-TAILED PETREL. 
Thalassidroma Leachii, Temm. 
PLATE OOOOLIX.— Male and Female. 
Before describing the habits of this bird, I think it necessary to speak of 
the three distinct species which are at times found near our coasts, and of 
which I have found two breeding within the Union. The present species is 
the largest ; that named after Wilson the next in size ; and the one called 
the Stormy Petrel the least. Until I had met with the whole of these 
species near our coast, I, like others, thought that the last mentioned kept 
nearer to Europe than it in reality does at certain seasons. 
In August, 1831, I was on board of the American packet-ship Columbia 
commanded by my friend Joseph C. Delano, Esq., who had promised that, 
in case of a calm occurring, he would allow me to have a boat manned to go 
in search of birds. The day is not given, because I never keep ajournal while 
crossing the Atlantic ; but as I had left England on the first of the month, 
and was then on the banks of Newfoundland, it must have been towards 
the latter part of it, when the weather suddenly became quite calm and 
beautiful. “ Mother Carey’s Chickens” were by hundreds around the noble 
ship, and although ill in consequence of the sickness which never leaves me 
at sea, I asked for a boat and some hands to row me about for an hour or so. 
This was granted, guns and ammunition were placed in the yawl, and my 
assistant, Mr. Henry Ward of London, an officer, and two sailors, accom- 
panied me. We had three guns, which were alternately loaded and handed 
to me. In the course of about an hour, twenty-five or thirty Petrels were 
shot, together with some Fulmars. Had you been looking on, you might 
perhaps have laughed at me on seeing that the moment after I fired, I was 
obliged to lean over the side of the bark to relieve myself from the dis- 
