322 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [12] 



to the hagdSb, has been remarked by others. The hagdoii will occa- 

 sionally throw up the coutents of its stomach when caught, but not as 

 a rule, so lar as 1 have been able to observe. 



The fulmar subsists chiefly ou small flshes, and, doubtless, partici- 

 l)ates with the hagdou in the pursuit of the squid ; but I have no rec- 

 ollection of noticing in its stomach, as I have in that of the hag, the 

 presence of j^ieces of squid or the beaks of that animal. I have, how- 

 ever, frequently observed that the contents of the stomachs of many 

 of this species consisted almost entirely of small fish. Like Puffinus, it 

 is very fond of oily food, which it swallows with astonishing greediness. 

 It devours large quantities of codfish liver in a ravenous manner that 

 would astound one unacquainted with its habits, and it certainly would 

 tax their credulitj^ to believe statements that might be made bearing ou 

 this subject. 



The fulmar is essentially an Arctic bird and occurs in great abundance 

 in the far North, where it is met with by whalers and halibut fishermen 

 in summer, at which season, according to the accounts given by Arctic 

 explorers, it goes there for the i)urpose of incubation. 



" The fulmar is the constant companion of the whale-fisher," says 

 Scoresby, in his Arctic Regions : " It is highly amusing to observe the 

 voracity with which they seize the pieces of fat that fall in their way; 

 the size and quantity of the pieces they take at a meal ; the curious 

 chuckling noise which, in their anxiety for dispatch, they always make, 

 and the jealousy with which they view, and the boldness with which 

 they attack any of this species that are engaged in devouring the finest 

 morsels. The fulmar never dives but when incited to it by the appear- 

 ance of a morsel of fat under water." These j)eculiarities of the species 

 agree exactly with my own observations. 



The fulmar has frequently a ragged appearance 5 the wings and tail- 

 feathers being fagged out and the bird is often soiled with grease. They 

 have a rank, pungent smell, which is exceedingly disagreeable. Not- 

 withstanding its boldness when in pursuit of food, and its apparent iu- 

 diflference to the presence of man, frequently coming within a few feet 

 of the side of a boat or vessel, rivaling in this respect the most daring 

 feats of the hagdon, it is, nevertheless, entirely difierentfrom the latter 

 so far as its pugnacity is concerned. Although it may struggle to 

 get the food which another bird is trying to swallow, it does not exhibit 

 such a fierce disposition as the hag, and when caught rarely attempts 

 to bite. This is all the more strange since this bird has a sharp and 

 very powerful hooked beak. Its flight is similar to that of Puffinus^ 

 and its manner of alighting on the water when in pursuit of food is also 

 much the same. The noddy, however, as has been mentioned, rarely 

 dives for food, and, so far as I have observed, goes but a short distance 

 beneath the water, evincing, in this respect, far less activity and enter- 

 prise than the hagdon. It is never eaten by the fishermen ; its disa- 

 greeable, repulsive odor rendering it undesirable as food. 



