Bird Notes from Long Island, N.Y. 
William Dutcher. 
2. Oceanites oceanicus. Wilson’s Petrel. —Of this species Mr. Giraud 
says: “Are not uncommon off Sandy Hook, within sight of land, and 
occasionally stragglers are seen coasting along the shores of Long 
Island .”X Petrels are not uncommon off the Long Island coast during the 
summer months, and that they are mostly of this species I am led to 
believe from the present evidence. Gunners and baymen on the south 
side tell me that they have seen Petrels off shore while bluefishing, but 
that they rarely see them near the surf line, or on the bays, except after 
very heavy blows. A letter written by Mr. W. L. Breese, § who owns and 
resides on an extensive estate called Timber Point, near Islip, L. I., 
proves that they are sometimes found in Great South Bay. In a com¬ 
munication to Dr. A. K. Fisher, June 25, 1888, he says: “I saw a flock of 
about twenty-five Petrels in the bay, this week, the only ones I have ever 
seen down here. I do not know what they were doing here so late in the 
season and so far up the bay.”|| July 20, 1888, Mr. N. T. Lawrence, 
B. H. Dutcher, and the writer sailed through Rockaway Inlet in a bluefish 
smack, for the purpose of ascertaining what Petrels, if any, were to be 
found off Rockaway Beach and Coney Island. We went out on the last 
of a strong ebb tide and with a very light breeze, that hardly filled our 
gapping sail. When about a mile off shore we saw a single Petrel, which 
passed us out of gunshot, flying parallel with the shore. In a short time 
this or another individual passed us going in an opposite direction. Until 
we were nearly two miles off shore we saw single individuals at short 
intervals, always just skimming the tops of the long ground-swells, appar¬ 
ently in search of food. When about two and one half miles off shore, 
we changed our course and sailed parallel with the beach ; almost imper¬ 
ceptibly the Petrels became more numerous. We would see a pair flying 
in company, or a small flock of six or eight scattered in an irregular but 
following manner. Sometimes one or two would rest for a moment on 
the water, floating buoyantly, like a tossing cork. Where the ebbing tide 
made slick, greasy looking streaks on the water, and also in eddies where 
drift and floatage gathered, these birds seemed most fond of congregating, 
evidently for the particles of food they there found. We remained on the 
ocean about three hours, when the gathering wind and clouds warned us 
to return to the more quiet waters of the bay. While the wind was light 
the Petrels were quite shv and would rarely come within gunshot, but as 
the breeze became stronger and the water rougher, they seemed to lose 
their fear of our boat and we could sail within gunshot without difficulty. 
Six specimens were secured, all proving to be of this species. Many more 
could have been shot, but unfortunately we were without a landing-net 
and so could not recover them. While returning to the beach we saw 
them in gradually lessening numbers, the last one being just inside the 
mouth of the inlet. While feeding, their movements were extremely 
graceful. On finding floating matter they would hover over it, dropping 
their feet to the water and apparently patting it, and, with partially ex¬ 
tended wings, bend their necks so that their bills would point downwards 
at a right angle to the body. During the early part of August, Petrels 
were common at the entrance to Long Island Sound, as per report of 
Basil Hicks Dutcher ;* the only one he secured was of this species. That 
they sometimes wander westward through the Sound is established by the 
recoid made by Robert B. Lawrence, of one taken near Sands Point, 
Queens Co., August 7, 1881.t 
JIbid., p. 371. — J , -ft- 3 OM*- 
^Deceased since this was written. See Auk, Vol. VI,p.8i. 
|| About eight miles northeast from Fire Island Inlet and near the main land. 
*See ante a , p. 128. 
\ Forest and Stream, Vol. XXVII, p. 428. 
Aok, fL Aptii, 1880. p .139.'/33 
Wilson’s Petrel in Western New York.— In my report to Dr. A. K. 
Fisher of the birds that occur in this vicinity, I mentioned among the 
Accidental Visitants a ‘ Stormy Petrel,’ and gave him the particulars of 
its capture. He asked me to report it to ‘ The Auk’. The specimen is 
in my collection, and was taken by Mr. J. A. Newton of this city in Oct., 
1875, while shooting Golden Plover in a field just outside the city limits. 
On examining it I find it is a Wilson’s Petrel (Oceanites oceanica) instead 
of Stormy Petrel as reported. It was presented to the Jewett Scientific 
Society and lately came into my possession.—J. L. Davison, Lock- 
fort, N. r. Auk, I, July, 1884. p. 2 
a 
co 
d» 
00 ) 
N 
e» 
d 
<5 
m 
a 
c3 
© 
a 
T 3 
<V 
<v 
O 
06 
GO 
23 
4-1 
<D 
CO 
Of 
C/3 
in 
C 3 
3 
C/3 
3 
'T' 
"3 
C/3 
a 
u 
3 
oJ 
3 
.VJ 
Si 
0 
0 
CD 
b 0 
< 
C/3 
3 
<*> 
T 3 
3 
3 
<U 
23 
5 
etf 
C/3 
3 
O 
tuo 
C/3 * 
G 
O „ 
J 3 
' o O 
o 
.S >3 
cT* 
B * 
2 2 
" £ 
M P 
; - s 
t". 
a 
cn 
« 
C 3 
*3 
-C 
