CINEREOUS PUFFlM. 835 



Sp. Charact. — Bill more than 2 inches long, depressed at base, 

 compressed where the point swells ; tail wedge-shaped ; tarsus 2 



inches long. Mult pale cinereous, wings and tail blackish-ash j 



beneath white ; bill and feet yellowish. Young slate color, be- 

 neath varied with cinereous ; bill blackish. 



The Cinereous Puffin or Wandering Sheerwater, visits 

 every part of the great Atlantic Ocean, from the banks 

 of Newfoundland to Senegal and the Cape of Good Hope. 

 It is also common in the Mediterranean, and on the 

 southern coasts of Spain and Provence, but never proceeds 

 to the Adriatic. On approaching the banks of Newfound- 

 land, but far west of soundings, we see the soaring and 

 wandering Lestris, and every day, the wild Sheerwater, but 

 more particularly in blowing and squally weather, sometimes 

 also in fine weather we see them throughout the day. Their 

 course in the air is exceedingly swift and powerful. With their 

 long wings outstretched and almost motionless, they sweep 

 over the wild waves fearless of every danger, flying out in vast 

 curves, watching at the same time intently for their finny 

 prey. Like the Stormy Petrel, they are often seen to trip 

 upon the water with extended feet and open wings, they 

 likewise dive for small fish, and find an advantage in the 

 storm, whose pellucid mountain waves bring to view its shin- 

 ing prey to more advantage ; it is therefore often seen most 

 active at such times, watching the sweeping billow as it 

 rises and foams along, harassing and pursuing its quarry 

 with singular address, snatching it from the surface, or 

 diving after it through the waves, on which they are often 

 seen to sit, as they mount to the sky or sink into the yawn- 

 ing abyss of the raging deep. 



The nest and history of propagation in this species, prob- 

 ably very similar with the following, is yet unknown. 



The length of this species is about 19 inches. The head, cheeks, 

 nape and back are of a pale ash color. All the feathers of the back 



