NOETHERN FULMAR. 431 



black spot before the eye, extending slightly over it ; bill 

 bluish-yellow, of different shades, notched with darker 

 patches and streaks ; whole of the under parts white, except 

 under surface of the wings, which is bluish-grey, the wing- 

 coverts being only slightly tinged with that colour. Legs 

 pale flesh-coloured, darker on outer surface of outer toe. 



"Male and Female. — Length 20^, 19-1- ; extent of wings 

 46, 44|; wing from flexure 13, 13; tail 4f, 4:-^; bill, 

 measured straight, l-^% l^ ; nasal tube -j\, tr ; gape 2-^, 2 ; 

 tarsus 2-^, 2-^-j ; middle toe and claw 3, 3 ; outer o-^, 3 ; 

 inner 2yV, -t^-" 



Habits. — Interesting statements respecting this bird have 

 been given by some of the arctic voyagers, who found it ex- 

 tremely abundant in the icy seas, and especially in Hudson's 

 Bay, Davis' Strait, and Baffin's Bay. It is also said by 

 various authors to occur in Iceland, Feroe, Norway, and not 

 unfrequentiy on the coasts of Holland and France. On the 

 eastern side of America it extends, according to Mr. Audu- 

 bon, as far south as Long Island. In Britain it is seldom 

 met with elsewhere than at its only breeding-place there, 

 the Island of St. Kilda. Mr. Selby has given a very good 

 account of its habits as observed there. Not having been at 

 that celebrated locality, I prefer to any facts that I could 

 bring together the excellent description, taken from actual 

 inspection, by my son, in 1840 : — 



" St. Kilda has long been noted as the only breeding- 

 place in Britain of the Fulmar Petrel, Procellaria glacialis 

 (An Fulmar, or Fulimar). This bird exists there in almost 

 incredible numbers, and to the natives it is by far the most 

 iinportant of the productions of the island. It forms one of 

 the principal means of support to the inhabitants, who daily 

 risk their lives in its pursuit. The Fulmar breeds on the 

 face of the highest precipices, and only on such as are fur- 

 nished with small grassy shelves, every spot on which above 

 a few inches in extent is occupied with one or more of its 

 nests. The nest is formed of herbage, seldom bulky, gene- 

 rally a mere shallow excavation in the turf, lined with dried 



