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Surg.-Com. K. H. Jones,



THE FULMAR PETREL.


By Surgeon-Commander K. H. Jones, M.B., R.N.


There is little to entertain the mind and please the eye of

the ornithologist whose lot is cast during the winter months upon

the stormy sea, in the harsh weather of the northern portions of

the British Isles, and on the ocean which stretches thence towards

the inhospitable Polar regions. Such a one must always feel grateful

to the Fulmar Petrel—almost invariably his companion, no matter

how vile the weather or how far away from land he may find

himself.


It is under the most unpleasant and arduous conditions of

wind and weather that this wonderful wanderer is to be seen to the

greatest advantage. Its untiring energy, its matchless strength and

skill in flight, and the perfect grace of its aerial evolutions can hardly

fail to excite admiration long after they have become the commonest

subjects of daily observation. It is impossible to sail from any

harbour in the Orkneys or Shetlands without some of these birds

following in the vessel’s wake. The number varies very much, and is

greater, as a rule, in the winter than during the summer months,

because, of course, in the latter season a considerable proportion of

the species resorts to its breeding haunts.


The Fulmar apparently does, to some extent, feed on garbage

food thrown overboard from ships, for an individual of this species,

or perhaps a small party, may be seen to settle on the often very

stormy water in the ship’s wake, when the cook has emptied the

contents of the shoot. Compared, however, with the Gulls the

Petrels are very abstemious, and the noisy, greedy parties of ravenous

birds do not include many of the latter at any time—at least such

has been the writer’s experience. It is far from easy when watching

a Fulmar to observe the bird in the act of flapping its wings.


Easily passing ahead of the ship, accommodating itself with¬

out any apparent effort, after the manner of its kind, to any shift in

the wind, it continues its long and rapid glides and marvellous swerves,

now almost touching the water, which it beats Petrel fashion with its

feet, and now rising as high, or higher than the mast-head. It is a



