102 THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST 



birds at a time were frequently seen about Skerry, on which 

 the lighthouse stands (Tomison, Ann. Scot. Nat. Hist., 1904, 

 p. 94), and on 2nd February 1909 one was killed at the 

 lantern {ibid., 1910, p. 211). 



(To be continued?) 



NOTES ON THE PLUMAGE OF THE FULMAR 



PETREL. 



By Wm. Eagle Clarke. 



Though the Fulmar Petrel (Fultnarus glacialis) has been 

 known as a native of the British Isles for over two hundred 

 years, yet there seems to be a singular dearth of information 

 regarding its first plumage. This, strange to say, is not 

 described in most of the numerous histories of British birds, 

 nor in the monograph of the Tubinares of Salvin (British 

 Museum Catalogue of Birds, vol. xxv.), nor the recent great 

 work by Godman, and only inadequately in one or two 

 works. 



During my visits to St Kilda in the autumns of 1910 and 

 191 1, I was able to secure several specimens which were just 

 able to fly, some of them with a small amount of nestling 

 down still adhering to the lower part of the abdomen. 



In these young birds the grey upper plumage is decidedly 

 paler and more uniform in tint than that of the adults, while 

 their heads, necks, and under surface are pure white, and silky 

 in appearance — in the older birds these white parts have a 

 yellowish hue. 



The young birds have the mantle, scapulars, and wings 

 (except the primaries and secondaries) of a delicate silvery 

 grey, each feather having a whitish margin. The lower back 

 and tail are paler grey, the feathers of the latter having 

 white tips. The outer webs of the primaries and secondaries 

 are dark slate-grey. The feet are livid white, and the bill is 

 rather paler in its varied colours than in the adult. Both 

 young and old have a dusk)' patch of hair-like feathers in 



