GREATER SHEARWATER. 505 



it is called Hackholt. They inform me it is a constant visi- 

 tant in the latter part of autumn, and represent its manners 

 on the water as resembling those of P. anglorum. I recol- 

 lect seeing four last year, through a telescope, in Mounts Bay. 

 It was late in the afternoon, the wind blowing hard from S. 

 S. W., which accounted for their being so far in-shore ; they 

 are generally deep sea-goers. They had exactly the flight of 

 P. anglorum, and kept so close to the water as almost to 

 skim the tops of the waves. Mr. Clement Jackson told me 

 last spring that they appear some autumns off Looe and Pol- 

 perro in thousands." 



Mr. Wm. Thompson has recorded two occurrences of this 

 species on the south of Ireland, communicated to him by Mr. 

 Robert Davis, jun., of Clonmell, who also sent me notice of 

 the circumstance, and a coloured drawing, made from the 

 second bird. Both were taken in the autumn of 1889, by 

 men fishing with hooks and lines for hake, off Dungarvon 

 Bay; the birds having taken the baits. Mr. Davis says, 

 " I kept the second specimen alive for about a week, but, not 

 having a suitable place for that purpose, killed it and set it 

 up. As well as I can recollect the former specimen, this 

 resembled it in every respect. It was, however, more lively, 

 and ran along very rapidly, with the breast about an inch and 

 a half from the ground. Having, on one occasion, put it on 

 a roof, it seemed to be more at ease on the inclined plane 

 afforded by that situation, than on a flat surface ; it mounted 

 rapidly to the top, though when it came to the edge no 

 attempt to fly was made, and it fell heavily to the ground. 

 It rarely stirred at all during the day, but kept itself as 

 much concealed as possible, and, if it could not hide its body, 

 would endeavour to conceal its head. The fishermen some- 

 times keep them for weeks about their houses, and in some 

 instances they have become tame ; they never attempt to fly. 

 It does not appear that the Manks Shearwater is ever seen, 



