442 PUFFINUS ANGLORUM. 



margin concave ; claws small, slightly arched, compressed, 

 rather obtuse. 



Plumage dense, soft, blended, on the back and wings 

 rather compact. Wings long, narrow, acute ; primaries 

 tapering, with the tip rounded, the first longest. Tail 

 rounded, of twelve feathers. 



Bill brownish-black, paler at the base ; iris dark brown. 

 Outer side of the tibia behind, the outer toe, and the outer 

 side of the third dark brown ; inner and anterior part of 

 outer side of the tarsus, with the inner side of the third toe, 

 and the whole of the second, reddish flesh-colour ; interdigital 

 membranes paler ; claws brownish-black. All the upper 

 parts glossy greyish-black ; the lower white ; the sides of the 

 neck and breast transversely barred with grey and white. 



Length to end of tail 15 inches ; extent of wings 28 ; 

 wing from flexure 9^; tail 3^; bill along the ridge 1^^, 

 along the edge of lower mandible 2; tarsus 1\%; middle toe 

 1^, its claw -j^. 



Female. — Similar to the male. 



Habits. — The most northern British station for this 

 bird is Shetland, whence my esteemed friend and fellow- 

 student. Dr. Edmondston, thus writes to me respecting it : — 

 " It breeds, like the Stormy Petrel, in holes in grassy dechvi- 

 ties. The nest is difficult to find. The bird is not seen, 

 unless on the ocean, during the day, or it remains concealed 

 in its hole, and only in the twilight can it be detected by the 

 vigilant and hardy fowlers, who, from their great partiality 

 for the young, regard the discovery of their nests as a sort of 

 treasure, which they bequeath as an heirloom to their sons. 

 It produces only a single young one, which, though excessively 

 fat, it must be confessed, justifies the epicurean taste of the 

 fowlers. It is rather strange that the young of sea-birds, 

 although uniformly fed on fish, should be totally free from a 

 fishy taste, while the flesh of adults is almost always harsh, 

 and often nauseous." Mr. Dunn states that "the Shear- 

 water is tolerably plentiful both in Orkney and Shetland 

 during the summer season. Considerable numbers breed in 



