FULMAR I'ETREL. 499 



in height, the whole face of which was covered with the nests 

 of the Fulmar, I enjoyed an opportunity of watching the 

 habits of this bird, and describe from personal observation. 

 The nests had all been robbed about a month before by the 

 natives, who esteem the eggs of this species above all others. 

 Many of the nests contained each a young bird, a day or two 

 old at farthest, thickly covered with long white down. The 

 young birds were very clamorous on being handled, and 

 vomited a quantity of clear oil, with which I sometimes ob- 

 served the parent birds feeding them by disgorging it. The 

 old birds, on being seized, instantly vomit a quantity of clear 

 amber-coloured oil, which imparts to the whole bird, its nest 

 and young, and even to the rock which it frequents, a pecu- 

 liar and very disagreeable odour. Fulmar oil is among the 

 most valuable productions of St. Kilda. The best is ob- 

 tained from the old bird. The Fulmar flies with great 

 buoyancy and considerable rapidity, and when at sea is 

 generally seen skimming along the surface of the waves at 

 a slight elevation, though I never observed one to alight, or 

 pick up anything from the water. Several which I dissected 

 had the stomach filled with pure oil, mixed up with the in- 

 digestible horny mandibles of some of the Sejn'ada, which 

 we may conclude form their principal food. It is partially 

 a nocturnal bird, except at its breeding-places, where it is 

 always in motion, flying along the face of the precipice ; but 

 I never heard them utter any cry when thus engaged, or even 

 when their nests were being robbed. The Fulmar does not 

 allow itself to be handled with impunity, but defends itself 

 with its powerful bill, which it can use with as much effect 

 as good-will." 



The Fulmar does not breed on the islands of Orkney or 

 Shetland, but occasionally visits the latter during winter in 

 stormy weather. 



Captain Wm. Scoresby, in his account of the Arctic Re- 



2 K 2 



