254 THE BIRDS OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



Matthew Tipping, on a piece of fallow-land near 

 Bainton on April 4 of the year above quoted, and 

 brought to him for preservation. Mr. Elliot had 

 much more than an average acquaintance with British 

 Birds, and could certainly hardly mistake a fresh 

 specimen of this for any other species. I have only 

 once to my knowledge probably seen a Fulmar on 

 wing, and therefore quote from standard authorities 

 in the following remarks as to its habits and distri- 

 bution. From the 4th edition of Yarrell I learn 

 that the Fulmar breeds in vast numbers on the cliffs 

 of St. Kilda and its adjacent islets ; the nests are 

 formed of herbage, seldom bulky, generally a shallow 

 excavation in the turf of the ledges on the face of 

 the highest precipices, and lined with dried grass 

 and withered tufts of the sea-pink ; only one egg 

 is laid, generally pure white, but sometimes minutely 

 freckled with rusty red ; these eggs are esteemed 

 above all others by the natives, and Fulmar oil is 

 among the most valuable productions of St. Kilda. 

 This oil is of a clear amber-colour, and Mr. John 

 Macgillivray, from whom the above notes as quoted, 

 op. supr. cit., are taken, says that it is vomited in 

 quantities by the birds when handled, imparting to 

 all their belongings, and even to the rocks they 

 frequent, a peculiar and very disagreeable odour. 

 The Fulmar now also nests in large numbers on the 

 island of Foula, in the Shetland group ; but it 

 appears that it was unknown there as a breeding 

 species before the summer of 1878. In this con- 

 nection I may mention that I was assured by a 

 native of Foula, who was sent to Lilford in charge 

 of two young Great Skuas in 1891, that the first 

 appearance of the Fulmar on his island in summer 



