5 . Thallassidroma leachii Bonap. Leach’s Petrel. —This Petrel 
breeds in large numbers on several of the outer islands of Casco Bay, 
southeast of Portland. Although I have often been told by fishermen 
and sportsmen of the existence of colonies of these birds on certain of our 
islands, I never was able to verify their reports until the middle of last 
August, [when I made three visits to two barren rocks known as the 
“ Green Islands,” once in company with Mr. E. N. Atwood of Cape Eliza¬ 
beth. I found about forty nests, half of which at this late date were 
empty, the remainder containing squabs in different stages of develop¬ 
ment.— Nathan Clifford Brown, Portland, Me., November 12 , 1876 . 
Buli.N.O.0, 2, Jan., 1877. p. ^ S'. 
Cymochorea leucorrhoa. Leach’s Petrel. During a visit to the 
coast last June >n search of ornithological and oological specimens I went 
o a well-known breedmg ground of Leach’s Petrel. We found the birds 
breeding by hundreds and out of some fifty burrows that we dug out all 
but two or three contained a single bird sitting on its egg. One burrow 
contained two birds but no egg. When taken from the holes the birds 
showed no disposition to fly but on being released.would scurry back into 
their holes or under some log. They appeared to be completely dazzled 
by the light, and if thrown into the air would fly in an aimless and dazed 
way for a few moments, very much after the manner of a Night Hawk 
when thrown from the limb of a tree. 
In a letter written by Mr. Manly Hardy of Brewer, Me., to Mr. William 
Brewster, and quoted by the latter gentleman in the Bulletin for iSSi 
(Vol. VI, p. 125), Mr. Hardy says “the males do most if not all the incu¬ 
bating,” but he further says that of twelve specimens taken from the nest 
and sent him June 15, 188 o, five proved to be females. Having this com¬ 
munication in mind, my friend (Mr. N. A. Eddy) and myself thought to 
investigate a little, and to this end took twelve birds from their nests. 
None of the forty-three found on their nests showed bare spots on the 
breast as described by Mr. Hardy, though our visit was on June 23, or 
about a week later than when Mr. Hardy’s birds were secured the year 
before, so our selections were entirely at random. Of the twelve birds 
eight were females and four males. One female and one male of those 
counted were from the burrow spoken of as without an egg, leaving to 
those taken from their eggs, seven females and three males. I have had 
others taken from the nest and sent me, and have found that the number 
of males and females was about equal. This would seem to indicate,— 
by Mr. Hardy’s testimony above quoted,—that both male and female share 
about equally the task of incubation and not that the male alone does most 
if not all of it. 
Bull. N.o.C. 0, Oct, 1881, p. S.d'V 
