Eev. G. S. Marsh states (Zool. p. 6492) that one was picked
up dead at Sutton Benger, near Chippenham, in Wiltshire,
by a labourer who, being persuaded by his wife that it was
merely a Swift, threw it down again, when another labourer,
arguing that a Swift had not webbed feet, secured it,
and brought it to the vicarage. Mr. C. Delme Radcliffe,
who was familiar with the species from having taken
examples off the coast of South America, states that he
picked up one in November, 1863, on the shore at Freshwater,
in the Isle of Wight. Mr. N. F. Hele writes in his
‘Notes about Aldeburgh ’ (p. 176), that “ a single individual
was obtained some years since in this neighbourhood, and
is in the possession of Col. Thellusson.” Mr. W. E. Clarke
mentions (Hbk. Yorks. Vertebs. p. 85) that one shot near
Halifax late in November, 1874, is in the collection of Mr.
Christopher Ward, to whom it was brought in the flesh.
Other examples have probably occurred, but have not, perhaps,
been distinguished by those into whose hands they
may have fallen. As yet there is no record of this species
in Scotland; and as regards Ireland, all that can be said is,
that a specimen was presented to Thompson in August,
1840, by Glennon of Dublin, who believed it to have been
obtained in that country.
In France, according to Degland and Gerbe, M. Hardy
received in the flesh, in December, 1854, two examples
taken in the Gulf of Gascony; and one obtained at Guetary,
near Biarritz, on the 3rd of December, 1872, is in the
collection of Dr. Marmottan, at Paris. Stragglers are said
to have been taken on the coast of Provence, and it certainly
enters the Mediterranean, for the Editor possesses a female
captured off Malaga on the 7tli of August, 1873 (Bull.
Soc. Zool. Fr. 1877, p. 205) ; and Dr. Salvadori has recorded
an example in the University Museum of Cagliari,
said to have been obtained off Sardinia. Mr. Godman found
this species common in summer about the Azores, and it
has been taken in many localities on the west coast of
Africa down to the Cape of Good Hope. Four examples
were obtained on the ‘ Challenger ’ expedition, off the Antarctic
ice barrier on the 14tli February, 1874 ; the Rev.
A. E. Eaton, naturalist to the Transit-of-Venus Expedition,
found it breeding on Kerguelen Island; and its range appears
to extend over the South Atlantic to Australia and
New Zealand, and across the South Pacific to Chili and Peru.
In the North Atlantic it is common along the American
coasts, visiting the West Indies and Mexico. It has been
stated by Audubon that Wilson’s Petrel bred on the Mud
Islands off Nova Scotia, and former Editions of the present
work contained a lengthy extract upon its nidification and
habits; but the accuracy of his observations being unconfirmed
and, in fact, denied, it has been considered expedient
to substitute the following account of the breeding of this
species on Kerguelen Island, as given by the Rev. A. E.
Eaton (Phil. Trans, clxviii. p. 133) :—
“ From the 10th of October, when we passed Cape Sandwich,
until the middle or third week of November, we completely
lost sight of the Storm-Petrels. About the period
last mentioned, however, they began to frequent Observatory
Bay in large numbers. Their first appearance in it took
place during a strong breeze which lasted several days.
When this was succeeded by more moderate weather we saw
little of them in the day-time ; but towards evening they
used to fly over the water like Swallows, and some of them
might be observed flying near the ground far away into the
country, following the course of the valleys or playing round
the inland cliffs. We tracked them along the lower hillsides
and the margins of lakes over rocks and bogs ; but our
efforts to learn what became of them were unattended with
success. Probably at that time they were not preparing to
breed, and the birds were merely going overland from the
bay to other inlets of the sea. At length, when we went to
Thumb Peak, their mode of nesting was discovered. Carefully
watching, with Lieut. Goodridge, R.N., the birds flying
to and fro about the rocks, we observed that they occasionally
disappeared into crevices amongst piles of loose stones, and
crept under loose masses of rock. Having meanwhile ascertained
their call, we were able, by listening attentively, to