194 TERRITORY AND REPRODUCTION 



wander from land, were made by Lieut. B. R. 

 Stewart during a number of voyages between 

 various ports in Great Britain and Ireland and 

 ports in North America, principally New York 

 and Quebec. Thus, on the 24th March, large 

 numbers were seen in lat. 55^ N., long. 24° W., 

 five hundred miles approximately from land, 

 though on the following day — four hundred 

 miles off Tory Island — they were not so plentiful. 

 Again, on the 1st October, in lat. 53° N., long, 

 27° W., seven hundred miles or so from land, one 

 bird was seen, whilst on the following day, in 

 lat. 52° N., long. 21° W., a single individual 

 was washed on board by the heavy seas and 

 seemed little the worse for the adventure. 

 Within two hundred miles of the west coast 

 of Ireland, he found them plentiful on various 

 occasions. From this it is clear that the circum- 

 stances under which the bird lives for many 

 months in succession must impose a considerable 

 strain upon its constitution ; and how it is able 

 to withstand the buffeting of wind and water, 

 to secure its food, and to endure, is a mystery. 

 It is important, therefore, that the young bird 

 should be properly nourished and protected 

 from anything that might harm its constitution, 

 and important, too, that the parents should be 

 freed from any undue strain during the course 

 of reproduction. 



The conditions which the breeding station 

 has to fulfil are threefold : in the first place, 

 it must be in proximity to the food-supply ; 

 secondly, it must provide the necessary shelter 



