THE STORMY PETREL. 
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south as Cape Antonio, the westernmost extremity of Cuba. 
On entering the Gulf Stream, and passing along the coasts 
of Florida and the Carolinas, these birds made their appear- 
ance in great numbers, and in all weathers, contributing 
much by their sprightly evolutions of wing to enliven the 
scene, and affording me every day several hours of amuse- 
ment. It is indeed an interesting sight to observe these little 
birds in a gale, coursing over the waves, down the declivities, 
up the ascents of the foaming surf that threatens to burst 
over their heads, sweeping along the hollow troughs of the 
sea as in a sheltered valley, and again mounting with the 
rising billow, and just above its surface occasionally dropping 
its feet, which, striking the water, throw it up again with 
additional force ; sometimes leaping, with both legs parallel, 
on the surface of the roughest waves for several yards at a 
time. Meanwhile it continues coursing from side to side 
of the ship's wake, making excursions far and wide, to the 
right and to the left, now a great way ahead, and now 
shooting astern for several hundred yards, returning again 
to the ship as if she were all the while stationary, though 
perhaps running at the rate of ten knots an hour ! But the 
most singular peculiarity of this bird is its faculty of stand- 
ing, and even running, on the surface of the water, which 
it performs with apparent facility. When any greasy matter 
is thrown overboard, these birds instantly collect around it, 
and, facing to windward, with their long wings expanded, 
and their webbed feet patting the water, the lightness of 
