AMERICAN STORMY PETREL. 
99 
substance, evidently the seeds of some marine plant, and about as 
large as mustard seed. The stomach of one contained a fish, half 
digested, so large that I should have supposed it too bulky for the 
bird to swallow ; another was filled with the tallow which I had 
thrown overboard ; and all had quantities of the seeds already men- 
tioned both in their stomachs and gizzards ; in the latter were also 
numerous minute pieces of barnacle shells. On a comparison of 
the seeds above mentioned with those of the giilf-iveed, so common 
and abundant in this part of the ocean, they were found to be the 
same. Thus it appears, that these seeds, floating perhaps a little 
below the surface, and the barnacles with which ships’ bottoms 
usually abound,* being both occasionally thrown up to the surface 
by the action of the vessel through the water in blowing weather, 
entice these birds to follow in the ship’s wake at such times, and 
not, as some have imagined, merely to seek shelter from the stoi*m, 
the greatest violence of which they seem to disregard. There are 
also the greasy dish washings, and other oily substances, thrown 
over by the cook, on which they feed with avidity ; but with great 
good nature, their manners being so gentle, that I never observed 
the slightest appearance of quarrelling or dispute among them. 
One circumstance is worthy of being noticed, and shows the 
vast range they take over the ocean. In firing at these birds a 
quill feather was broken in each wing of an individual, and hung 
fluttering in the wind, which rendei'ed it so conspicuous among the 
rest as to be known to all onboard. This bird, notwithstanding its 
inconvenience, continued with us for nearly a week, during which 
we sailed a distance of more than four hundred miles to the north. 
Flocks continued to follow us until near Sandy Hook. 
The length of time these birds remain on the ^ving is no less 
surprising. As soon as it was light enough in the morning to per- 
ceive them, they were found roaming about as usual ; and I have 
^ Tl^at is, those vessels the bottoms of which are not coppered. 
