DIKECTOKY TO BIRDS OF EASTERN NORTH AMERICA. 23 



1*. LESSER FULMAR, F. a. minor. Similar in color 

 to 1, but smaller, 16.00 long. Range about the same. 



b. Shearwaters. Puffinus. 

 Birds of the ocean, but often approaching within a few 

 miles of the coast ; of varying Fig. 20. 



size, but none are very small; 

 bill, rather slender with na- 

 sal tubes not 1-3 its length, 

 fig. 20 ; folded wings, reach- 

 ing tip of tail, or longer; 

 ashy-brown above, white be- 

 neath ; or else sooty-brown 

 throughout ; anterior toes, 

 long; posterior toe, short. 

 Graceful, easy-flying species I>, B, b, o. 



which seldom rise high over the water, and often fly in small 

 flocks close to the surface, often side by side; during bois- 

 terous weather they (and other Petrels) fly along the hol- 

 lows of the ever moving waves, and as the seas pass under 

 them, cross their crests diagonally. Thus by shearing the 

 water, the birds allow the spray, which is driven from the 

 wave tops with violence by the fierce ocean winds, to strike 

 on one side of their tubular nostrils. Nest on islands, plac- 

 ing the egg in rock cavities, or beneath loose slabs of stone. 

 1. GREATER SHEARWATER, P. gavis. 20.00 long ; 



smoky-brown above, dark- 

 est on head, wings and tail ; 

 longest upper tail coverts, 

 white ; lower parts, white, 

 more or less clouded with 

 dusky on sides and behind; 

 the line of demarkation be- 

 tween white of throat and 

 dark of head is sharply de- 

 fined, fig. 21, bill, nearly 

 black. Atlantic Ocean ; 

 breeds in the southern hem- 



