ZOOLOGY.-^FULMAE. 531 



though numbers of the species may be killed, and 

 allowed to float about among them, they appear un- 

 conscious of danger to themselves. 



The fulmar never dives, but when incited to it 

 by the appearance of a morsal of fat under water. 

 When in close view of any men, it keeps a conti- 

 nual watch on both the men and its prey ; having 

 its feet continually in motion, and yet perhaps not 

 moving at all through the water. Its boldness in- 

 creases with the numbers of its species that sur- 

 round it. It is a very hardy bird. Its feathers 

 being thick, it is not easily killed with a blow. Its 

 bite, from the crookedness, strength, and sharpness 

 of its bill, is very severe. 



Fulmars differ in colour ; some are a dark dirty 

 grey ; others are much paler, and totally white on 

 the breast and belly. In size, this bird is a little 

 smaller than a duck. Beneath its feathers is a 

 thick bed of fine grey down. 



When carrion is scarce, the fulmars follow the liv- 

 ing whale ; and sometimes, by their peculiar motions, 

 when hovering at the surface of the water, point 

 out to tlie fisher the position of the animal of which 

 he is in pursuit. They cannot make much impres- 

 sion on the dead whale, until some more powerful 

 animal tears away the skin : the epidermis and rete 

 mucosum they entirely remove, but the true skin is 

 too tough for them to make way through it. 



l1 2 



