242 
THE STORMY PETREL. 
Bradford, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, probably 
attracted by the blaze of their immense fires. 
They do not, however, always follow ships merely 
for shelter; we suspect that the scraps of food 
or grease, which occasionally fall over-board, fre- 
quently attract them. W e have heard of one which 
accompanied a ship from the Channel to the very 
shores of America, picking up or examining every 
thing that fell over-board. It was observed to be 
more clamorous during the night than the day. 
It appeared, moreover, to those who watched it, to 
dive, and remain under water for half an hour or 
more ; and we have heard this power of immersion 
attributed to it by others ; but we are inclined, 
nevertheless, to doubt even its power of diving at all ; 
its form, lightness, thick coating of feathers, all being 
against its remaining under water for any length of 
time ; added to which, such a power would be unne- 
cessary, its food being prepared for it on the surface 
of the waters, and not below. 
Table XXX. (See vol. i., p. 24.) 
Order 6. Palmipedes. Tribe 4. Brevipenxes (Shwt 
winged ). 
The characteristic feature of this, the last tribe of 
the last order of birds, is the extreme shortness of 
the wing, which, in many of them, prevents their 
flying to any distance, and, in some, partakes more 
of a fin than a feathered wing. Their legs are, more- 
over, placed far behind ; their plumage is close and 
glossy, so as to resist water ; all which peculiarities fit 
