19 1 7'] ^'* i^^^ North Sea and North Atlantic Ocean. 39 



A Black Guillemot (Uria grylle) attracted ray attention 

 about 1.30 P.M. It accompanied us for some time, flying 

 up from asteru every few minutes, swiftly passing us and 

 circling round the bows, only to alight a short distance 

 bsliind us. I saw this muioeuvre repeated at least a dozen 

 times. 



27 October. Cloudy ; long swell ; wind S. 60° 3J.' N., 

 3° 02' W. 



This morning we were steaming at 17 knots, and it was 

 evident that the Fulmars had to exert themselves more than 

 usual in order to keep i)ace with us. From previous obser- 

 vations 1 had formed the opinion that the Fulmars never 

 followed the ship after land was sighted; but to-day, when 

 we were two miles from the Shetlands, about 3 p.m., a dozen 

 of tiiese birds were still in our wake. They gradually 

 dropped ofl:" until all of them had disappeared within about 

 one mile of the land. 



Near the land there were great numbers of Shag, Herring- 

 Gulls, and Lesser Black-backed Gulls, and a few Guillemots 

 and Razorbills. 



29 October. Slight swell, sunny and warm ; light breeze 



N.N.W.-S.E. 62° 13' N., 0° 10' E. 

 In the morning a few Fulmars were following, and at 

 noon I saw numbers flying close to the waves ahead of and 

 on both sides of the ship, but not so many as had been met 

 with north of the Faroes. l\vo Manx Sliearwaters were 

 also seen occasionally. One of these birds was seen to 

 alight and devour a fragment of food, and while it remained 

 on the water — for quite one minute — the wings were held 

 uplifted as if in readiness for flight. 



30 October. Slight swell ; wind S.S.W.-S. 61° %' N., 



1° 28' W. 



On this day we patrolled within twenty to twenty-five 

 miles of the Shetlands, which were visible to the southward. 



Fulmars were scarce, only three or four being met with. 

 Hundreds of Herring-Gulls, a few Kittiwakes, and one 

 Lesser Black-backed Gull were also seen. 



