30 FULMAR PETREL. 



es. Color. Ai/ull. Above, dark slaty-bluc. White beneath to breast, tlicn graflually becomingdusky until the under 

 tail coverts are as dark as back. Sides of liead and neck all around, pale yellow. Slialtsof]jrimaries. brown, eseeptnig the 

 first two wliich are white. Iris, brown, bill, greenish, and feet, black. Yimny. .smoky-brown throughout, mottled with 

 ashy, and the central tail feathers only project slightly. 



OBSERVATIONS. 

 Known by the long central tail feathers, which are acuminate even in the young, .small size, and white shafts to two 

 outer primaries. Distributed, in summer, throughout the Arctic Regions, wandering as far south as Massachusetts in win- 

 ter. DiME.\siONS. Length, 2o-()0; stretch, 40-0(l; wing, 12-(in; tail, 1200; bill, 1-15; tarsus, l-55. 



DKSCRIl'TION OF NESTS AND EGCiS. 

 Eij(/s, jdaced on the ground, two or three in number, rather jiointed oval in form, deep ycllowish-brown in color, spot- 

 ted, blotched, and lined with rj 1 lisli-brown aud uiub^r of v.irying shade-i. Dimensions from l-5l1x-.il5 to 1 56x-2'25. 



HABITS. 

 Buffon's Skua is l)y fur the rarest of the three species of the genus, which are of reg- 

 uhir occurrence with us, as it tippears to spend the greater jiortion of its time far out to sea. 

 On account nf the peculiar, long tail, this species i.s called Whip-tail by stiilors. 



FAMILY II. PROCELLARID^. THE PETRELS. 



Bill, generallij shorter than head and strongly curved at tip. Nostrils, tubular. Hind 

 toe, present or absent. Marginal indentations, four or absent. Keel, usually perforated. 

 Primaries, long and secondaries, short. 



Members of this ftiniily are closely feathered, fly remarkably well, and possess the pow- 

 er of swimming, but do not move with ease upon the ground. The bill is made up of sev- 

 eral parts. The young tire covered with down at birth, but are helpless and are fed by the 

 parents until able to fly. 



GENUS I. PROCELLARIA. THE FULMARS. 

 Gen. Ch. Bill, slToncj, rather short, and somewhat compressed near lip. Tar.iuf, short and strong. Toes, fully webbed 

 anil with a spur in place of the hind toe. Tail, rounded. Members of this genus are generally large and of varying color. 

 There are two species within our limits. 



PROCELLARIA GLACIALIS. 



Fulmar Petrel. 



Procellaria (jlaciiilis Linn., Syst. Nat., I; 176fi, 213. 



DESCEirTION. 



Sr. Ch. Form, robust. Size, medium. Coi.on. Adult. Back and wings, pale liluish-a.sh, becoming brownish on 



primaries. Remainder of plumage, white, strongly tinged with ashy on tail. Iris, bill, and feet, yellow. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Easily recognized by the pure white head. Occurs in tlie Northern Atlantic. Dimension.s. Length, I9'95; stretch, 

 32-00; wing, 13-00* tail, 4-25; hill, 1-S5; tar.sus, 2-00. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 

 E(j(js, placed m holes of rooky cliffs, one in number, elliptical in form, pure white in color, with the shell very brittle 

 Dimensions from 2-00 x 2-75 to2'05x2-80. 



HABITS. 

 The Fulmar Petrels are found far out to sea, often accompanying Avhaling ships, for 

 they are fond of feeding upon blubl)er. They breed in holes of rocky tdiifs, in the far North, 

 and the young are at first fed by regurgitation, upon oil, with, which the stomachs of the 

 adults are so filled, that they vomit it upon the slightest provocation, and thus are extreme- 

 ly disagreeable birds to handle. 



PROCELLARIA H^SITATA. 



Black-capped Fulmar. 



Procellaria hcesitata KuHL. Mon. Proc. Beit. Zool.; 1820, 142. 



DESCRIPTION. 

 Sp. Cu Form, slender. Size, small. Color. Adult. Back, wings, terminal half of tail, a few of its upper coverts, 



