PROCELLARIID.E — THE PETRELS — rUFFINUS. 381 



Tlie Greater Shearwater is a ISTorth Atlantic species, passing the greater part of 

 its life in mid-ocean, and rarely approaching either shore. It belongs only as a rare 

 visitor either to the European or to the American coast. 



The first example known to have been seen in Great Britain was obtained by Mr. 

 Arthur Strickland, and was shot in August, 1828, on a very stormy day, near the 

 mouth of the Tees. It was seen early in the morning, sitting on the water like a 

 duck, and was shot as it rose. A second specimen was obtained several years after- 

 ward. Other specimens have since been procured on various parts of the English sea- 

 coast ; and it is uoav su})posed that individuals of this species had been previoiisly 

 met with, but confounded with the Piiffimis cmglorum. 



Mr. Yarrell's figures and descriptions are taken from birds procured by Mr. D. W. 

 Mitchell on the coast of Cornwall. Mr. Mitchell states that, in November, 1837, a 

 man brought him one of these birds alive. He had found it asleep in his boat, about 

 three o'clock in the afternoon, and the bird had probably taken up its quarters there 

 by daylight. The boat was moored about two hundred yards from the shore. At that 

 time there were a great many more of this species off Mount Bay, and two others 

 were brought in that had been taken by hooks. He also states that this bird, in the 

 adult plumage, appears pretty regularly every autumn, but not always in equal num- 

 bers. It had long been in several collections in Plymouth, England, where it was con- 

 founded with P. angloruvi ; but the latter is not common there, and hence the error. 

 It is also quite abundant about the Scilly Isles, where it is known as the Hackbolt. 

 It is a constant visitor there in the latter part of autumn, and its movements are said 

 to be undistinguishable from those of the Manx Shearwater. Mr. IMitchell also in- 

 formed jNIr. Yarrell that the previous year, late in an afternoon, when the wind was 

 blowing hard from the S.S.W., he saw through his telescope four of these birds in 

 Mount's Bay. The weather was probably the cause of their being so far in shore, 

 as they are generally deep-sea-goers. They had exactly the flight of P. anglorum, 

 and they kept so close to the water as almost to skim the tops of the waves. He 

 was informed that these birds appear some autumns in thousands off the islands of 

 Love and Polpezzo. 



Mr. Thompson records the occurrence of birds of this species in the south of Ire- 

 land in the autumn. ]\fr. Davis, of Clonmel, mentions keeping one alive about a 

 week. It was quite lively, and ran along very rapidly with its breast about an inch 

 and a half from the ground. Having put it on a sloping roof, the bird seemed more 

 at its ease than it was on a level surface, and mounted rapidly to the top ; though 

 when it came to the edge it made no attempt to fly, but fell heavily to the ground. 

 It rarely stirred during the day, but kept itself as much concealed as possible ; and 

 if it could not hide its body, would endeavor to conceal its head. The fishermen 

 sometimes keep these birds for weeks about their houses; and in some instances 

 they become quite tame, and do not attempt to fly. It is rarely, if ever, shot, but 

 is usually taken with a hook. It is commonly known by the name of Hagdown. Mr. 

 Thompson also states that Dr. 11. Bell, dredging off Bundoran, on the west coast 

 of Ireland, July 16, 1840, saw three Petrels of this species, on the wing, near him. 

 There are specimens in the British INIuseum said to be from South Africa. 



Yarrell does not mention how or where this bird breeds, but states that the egg is 

 very large for the size of the bird, and that only a single one is laid. It is said to 

 measure 2.75 inches in length l^y 1.87 in breadth. Its color is pure white when 

 deposited, becoming soiled as incubation progresses. 



Audubon mentions finding this species ranging from the Gulf of St. Lawrence 

 to that of Mexico; but he very rarely met with it near the coast. In sailing to 



