MANX SHEARWATER. 25 



attracted by hearing a little voice in the basket as I sat 

 preparing a skin about midnight. I thought of Asmodeus 

 in the bottle immediately." 



The single white egg is deposited in a burrow or the 

 crevice of a rock on a few blades of dried grass ; it is smooth 

 in texture, although without much gloss ; there is compara- 

 tively little of the musky odour about it so obtrusive in the 

 eggs of the Fulmar ; and the yolk is a very pale yellow ; 

 average measurements 2*4 by l'65in. Incubation com- 

 mences early in May, but, according to Saxby, if the first 

 egg is taken the same bird will lay again some weeks later. 

 The nestling remains in its home until long after it is fully 

 fledged, and becomes enormously fat. The stomachs of the 

 adults examined by Saxby contained the jaws of a small 

 species of cuttle-fish, together with a small quantity of com- 

 minuted sea-weed, and some vegetable fibre. In the intervals 

 of its rapid and somewhat angular flight this species has 

 frequently been observed, contrary to a popular idea, to settle 

 on the water, where, however, it seldom remains for long. 

 In skimming the surface of the water it frequently ploughs 

 it up with its breast. After severe weather, storm-driven 

 individuals are not unfrequently picked up in our inland 

 counties. 



The Manx Shearwater breeds in considerable numbers in 

 the Fseroes ; and is found on the coast of Norway and 

 throughout the North Sea ; it is believed to have some 

 breeding-places on the islands oif the coast of Brittany, and 

 it undoubtedly nests about the Canaries, Madeira, the 

 Desertas, and the Azores. It is stated by Reinhardt to 

 have occurred in Greenland ; and Mr. G. A. Boardman 

 informed Mr. Dresser that it was common on the fishing- 

 grounds oft' the Bay of Fundy. Capt. Savile G. Reid, R.E., 

 states (Zool. 1877, p. 491) that there is a specimen in Mr. 

 Bartram's collection at Bermuda which was captured whilst 

 sitting on its solitary egg, some years ago. In the Medi- 

 terranean there occurs a resident form of doubtful specific 

 distinctness, characterized, as a rule, by a larger amount of 

 brown striations on the under tail-coverts. This is the 



VOL. IV. E 



