156 AT>LEN'S naturalist's LIBRARY. 



gracefully round with the line of their long outstretched wings 

 frequently brought for a moment at right angles to the surface 

 of the water. In very wet weather they disappear ; but half 

 a gale of wind does not appear to interfere with their move- 

 ments in the least, except that their wings are more actively 

 employed, though even then they continually skim along with 

 outspread motionless wings over the surface of the waves, 

 bounding over their crests, and descending into the hollows. 

 It is not to be supposed that the same individuals follow the 

 ship across the Atlantic. On some days the number is very 

 few, on others greater, and generally at sunset every bird 

 disappears." 



The following interesting account of the habits of the Fulmar 

 on S. Kilda have been written by Mr. C. Dixon : — " Most of 

 the cliffs are broken, and all are more or less studded with 

 grassy slopes, on most of which sheep graze in comparative 

 safety. In many places, although the cliff is very precipitous, 

 it is covered with grass, sorrel, and other plants, and a loose 

 rich soil. It is in such spots that the Fulmar breeds in the 

 greatest numbers. I shall never forget the imposing effect of 

 this noble bird- nursery. Just before I reached one of the 

 shoulders of Connacher, a few Fulmars were to be seen sailing 

 in graceful flight above the cliff, then dropping down again 

 into space. When I reached the summit the scene was grand ; 

 tens of thousands of Fulmars were flying silently about in all 

 directions, but never by any chance soaring over the land ; 

 they passed backwards and forwards along the face of the cliff 

 and for some considerable distance out to sea, whilst the waves 

 a thousand feet below were dotted thickly with floating birds. 

 The silence of such an animated scene impressed me ; not a 

 single Fulmar uttered a cry, but lower down the cliffs Kitti- 

 wakes were noisy enough. No bird flies more gracefully than 

 the Fulmar ; it seems to float in the air without any exertion, 

 often passing to and fro for minutes together with no percep- 

 tible movement of its wings; and I repeatedly saw a bird, 

 head to wund, quite motionless for several seconds, the stiff 

 breeze ruffling a few of its scapulars and neck -feathers. It is 

 a remarkably tame bird, fluttering along within a few feet of 

 you, its black eye glistening sharply against its snow-white 

 dress. Sometimes I saw it hover like a Kestrel, or turn round 



