FULMAR 565 
that of a Shearwater, six to a dozen beats of the wing 
being followed by a graceful glide on motionless and out- 
stretched pinions, during which the bird often describes 
a complete circle. 
In size, in colour, and in the occasional slow-flapping 
flight, the Fulmar bears a superficial resemblance to a Gull, 
but on watching the former for a little time, one sees that 
the flapping motion occurs at infrequent intervals, and is of 
brief duration, whereas the gliding movement, so charac- 
teristic, is very prolonged. 
Food.—lLike other Petrels, the Fulmar delights in a 
meal of offal, and it has a most voracious appetite. It 
accompanies fishing-vessels, and will take a baited hook, 
becoming bold to a degree when the nets are being with- 
drawn, and approaching so closely that it can easily be 
struck with a stick. Whale-blubber* and oily substances 
are greedily devoured, and the bird is said to be fond of 
cuttle-fish. It usually settles* on the water to pick up its 
food, though I have seen it lift a long ribbon-like piece of 
offal from the surface just before alighting. 
Voice.—A_ soft note, which may be syllabled re-re-re, 
ur-ur-ur, IS sometimes heard, but, on the whole, the bird is 
rather silent. 
When the Fulmar is taken in the hand it vomits a 
quantity of clear, light brown oil; this, and the feathers are 
a source of profit to the people of St. Kilda, where the bird 
nests numerously; the flesh is also used by them for food. 
Nest.—In May, this species comes to land for breeding- 
purposes; it is then gregarious, assembling in some places 
in colonies consisting of several hundreds. Some colonies 
are so densely crowded that every available spot on the 
cliff is occupied, and, as one might expect, much variety 
in the nesting-sites is to be seen. Thus the nest may be 
'« Mr. Gurney has a barbed fish-hook 25 inches long, with 28 inches 
of twisted cord, which was taken out of a Fulmar Petrel caught off 
Yarmouth in November, 1885” (A. Patterson, ‘ Zoologist,’ 1901, p. 299). 
>“ Tt is well known to the whalers as a constant attendant on the 
stricken whale, feeding voraciously on the carcases after the flensing 
operations have terminated” (Jardine). 
*] have observed a flock of about sixty alight on the water, crowd 
round and peck at the remains of a roast goose which had been cast 
overboard. Though closely packed when feeding, they were most peace- 
ful in their demeanour, nor were they disconcerted when a Great Skua 
suddenly passed them with rapid sweep of wing. 
