BRITISH BIRDS. 
241 
OF THE PETREL. 
The bills of this genus are ftraight, except the 
end, which is bent or hooked : the noftrils, for the 
moft part, contained in one tube; but in a few 
fpecies they are diftind and feparate. Legs fmall, 
and naked above the knees : three toes placed for- 
ward, and a fpur behind, inftead of a back toe : 
wings very long and ftrong. 
Thefe birds are the conftant, roving, adventrous 
inhabitants of the ocean ; one fpecies or ano^ 
ther of them is met with by navigators in every 
climate, and at the greateft diftances from land. 
They feem to fport with the tempeft, and run on 
foot, fwim, or fly at pleafure over the foaming bil- 
lows, with amazing velocity. * In flying they ge- 
nerally keep fo near to the undulating waters, that 
the tips of their wings often beat upon the furface, 
and thereby accelerate their progrefs. In calm 
weather they float and repofe, as it were, on the 
bofom of the ocean. They are feldom feen on 
fliore, and when they are, it is only in the breed- 
ing feafon, and then merely for the purpofes of in- 
cubation. The females depoflt their eggs in holes 
in the ground, or in the deep hidden caverns and 
* Some fpecies of them are known to dive dl^o»-^CeoPs 
Voyages, 
VoL. II, t H h 
