WHITE SEA-BIRDS. 283 



having a few small reddish-brown spots; 2'9xl'9 

 inches (plate 134). 



Nest. — On ledges and in crevices of cliffs where 

 earth or grass occurs, little or nothing being added. 



The Fulmar is the largest Petrel breeding in the 

 British Islands. It comes in from its winter wander- 

 ings over the ocean in May to scratch a hole in 

 the turfy crown above the rocks of St Kilda, the 

 only breeding station of this bird in our country, and 

 there it deposits its one egg and rears its young one. 

 In a few months it takes again to the sea, roving far 

 from land, and is little seen save from ocean-going 

 vessels, especially whalers and sealers, until it returns 

 again to its rocky haunt in the following spring. In 

 appearance it is like a gray-backed Gull, but the 

 flight, marked by alternate beating of the wings 

 and a gliding on outstretched pinions, resembles that 

 of the Shearwaters. Like Gulls it follows in the 

 wake of vessels, beating from side to side over the 

 track in a zigzag course, but hugging the waves 

 much more closely than is the habit of Gulls. It 

 may be seen, alone or in small flocks, in mid-ocean, 

 where no Gull is to be looked for. It swims like 

 a Gull. 



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