WILSON'S PETREL. 
491 
moved, they would never attempt to leave the burrows, and when first brought out, ap¬ 
peared very stupid, for they could often be thrown from hand to hand like balls, without 
flying. When one nest was being disturbed, the Petrels in neighboring burrows, of which 
there were often eight or ten within a few square yards, kept up a constant squeaking like 
mice. At this time, the eggs were in an advance stage of incubation, but I found fresh 
ones on the southern end of Bryon Island, the first of July, a year later. Here Leach’s 
Petrels were nesting in burrows on the face of a sandy bank, in a similar manner to that 
practiced by_ Bank Swallows. When not breeding, these Petrels are found on the open 
ocean, running lightly over the waves, with extended wings, like other allied species. 
THALASSIDROMA WILSON!. 
Wilson’s Petrel. 
Thalassidroma Wilsoni Bon. Syn.; 1828, 
DESCRIPTION. 
Sp. Cn. Size, medium. Form, slender. Color. Adult. Dark sooty-brown throughout, becoming blackish on pri¬ 
maries and tail and ashy in a line through wings. Upper tail coverts, basal third of under, and base of tail, white. Iris, 
brown, bill and feet, black with webs yellow, excepting at margin. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
Recognized by the short bill, long legs, and yellow webs to feet. Distributed in summer from the Gulf of St. Lawrence, 
northward, wintering off the Atlantic Coast. 
DIMENSIONS. 
Average measurements of specimens. Length, 7‘25; stretch, 13‘30; wing, 5'75; tail, 5'50; bill, '55; tarsus, 1‘45. Long¬ 
est specimen, 7'50; greatest extent of wing, 13'65; longest wing, 6‘ 10; tail, 5‘75; bill, '60; tarsus, 1 50. Shortest specimen, 
7 - 00; smallest extent of wing, 12'95; shortest wing, 5’50 tail, 525; bill, *50; tarsus, 1'40. 
DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 
Eggs, placed in burrows, one in number, elliptical in form, chalky white in color, occasionally spotted with purplish, 
sometimes in a ring around larger end. Dimensions from ’80 x 1* 10 to ’85 x 1 ■ 15. 
HABITS. 
A portion of the surface of the Magdalen Islands, is covered with a thick growth of 
low, scrubby spruces and hemlocks which often approach quite near the edge of the high 
cliffs that form a large part of the coast. There was a dwarf forest of this description, on 
the western side of Bryon Island, which grew so near the brink of a cliff, some two hundred 
feet high, that there was only about twenty feet between the margin of the wood and edge 
of the precipice.. There were, however, some small, straggling spruces growing in this 
intervening section, and under these, I was informed, Wilson’s Petrels, or Long-legged 
Mother Cary’s Chickens as they were there called, made their burrows. I visited the place 
repeatedly in search of their nests, but although I could perceive the unmistakable odor of 
Petrels, I was not fortunate enough to find a hole. It is probable that I was too early 
and that the burrows were not dug until later, although it was the first week in July, when 
I made the last search. I found these birds very abundant in the neighboring waters of 
the Gulf, feeding on floating garbage. They were very tame, often coming so near the 
boats, that several were killed with oars. I have also met with this species off the coast 
in winter. 
THALASSIROMA PELAGICA. 
Stormy Petrel. 
Thalassidroma pelagicaY ig., Zool. Jour., II; 1825, 405. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Sp. Cn. Form, slender. Size, small. Color. Adult. Dusky-brown throughout, lighter beneath. Band on rump, 
base of upper and under tail coverts and tail, axillaries, and some under wing coverts, white. Iris, brown, bill and feet, 
black. 
