The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1896-06-13
STORMY PETRELs.
Tho Young Bird1 Full Of OH and Used ~
Lamps.

low-fitting, d'lsky birds seem to love
the tempestucus weather, but they
come out in the greatest numbers just
before and during the particularly vio-
lent hurricanes. When no other bird,
large or small, is in sight these weird
fowl, like so many imps, skim low across
the white-caps and hover close by ship
until it's superstitious crew are we'll
nigh frantic with dread.
Many of the older jack tars, indeed,
believe that the petrcls, instead of COM
ing with the storms actually call them
up or still them at pleasure. They
weave many wild yarns about Mother
Carey's chickens" and tell you how they
never rest and never fly to the shore.
The English channel islanders even
contend that the eggs are held under
one wing until hatched and that the
young learn to fly the instant they
emerge from their eggs.
The real facts concerning the petrel's
life and ways are full of interest even if
in accepting them we must rudely shat
ter the fondest traditions of the fo'-
castle. One reason why nothing of its
nesting habits was known until about
10 years ago was because it chooses only
the remotest and most lonely strands
for it's home. On the deeply indente'l
shores of Nova Scotia thousands of
them nest every year. Cape Sable and
the Mud, Tusket, Shag. Gannct. Johns
and Negro islands swarm with their
clumsy young in June.
A cleft in the wave-washed rocks, a
water-worn niche, the deserted burrow
Of o rabbit or .. woodchu:k OR musk
rat, any sort of e scoopcd place, is good
enough for the petrol. It is abundantly
able to dig suitable cavity for itself.
however, if no lazier way out of the diff
ficulty presents itself. Only l2 or II
inches deep are those hollows, just
deep enough To hold Mother Petrol and
her babies and protect them from the
gales that sweep the coast.
The mother lays but e single egg of a
dull. lustcrless white, very large for the
size of the bird. She sits on it almost
constantly for three. weeks, while the
mate brings her food from the sea.
Only at night does he feed her, and after
the young one is hatched it, too, only
receives nourishment after dark.
All day long the birds are winging
over the sea, searching for something to
eat, often flying miles off shore. Care
fully do the old birds watch over and
feed the cottony, tumbiing, weak lit
tie baby petrol for four or five weeks.
Nearly six months elapse ere the
youngster can shift for itself. The
parents feed them with a rich oil which
they secretc in their stomachs. and SO
thick and fine is this fluid that the
savagcs of the far north use the poor
birds as lamps. Killing them, they
thrust hempen wick down the throat,
and, pushing it down as far as possible,
light the loose end, which will bum for
hours with clear, bright flame.
In reality, when the seamen fancy the
poor waits are following the ship to
bring her bad luck, they are really
looking for the things which the cook
may throw away. Any sort of refuse
is eagerly gathered up ami taken home
to the lonely baby. Silently they pur-
sue the vessels for whole day, waiting
in patience for morsel.
Only at night do they cry, and most
weird and plainiive note is theirs. Pitt
fully it rises above the low roar of the
wind and the booming of the breakers
on the shore. The solitary lookout in
the bow at night often draws his Oil
skin closer and whistles loud when he
hears that fateful wall. lie shades his
eyes with big rough hand and peers
more aExiously into the blackness
ahead, for it BODIES his ship no good
to be followed by Mother Carey's chick
ens.-N. Y. Journal.