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PUFFINUS ANGLORUM— RAY. 



MANK3 SHEARWATER. 



Puffinus anglorum, Bonap. 

 Shearwater Petrel, Nuttall. 

 Manks Shearwater, Puffinus angloram, Audubon. 



Specific Character — Bill greenish-black, very slender, length 

 one inch and three quarters ; tarsi about one inch and three quar- 

 ters ; wing reaching beyond the tail feathers ; tibia grayish black,' 

 marked with dull orange, webs pale yellow ; upper parts glossy 

 black ; beneath white. Length fifteen inches. 



This, like the preceding, is with us an accidental visitor. In 

 its habits, it is nearly allied to the Petrels. It spends most of its 

 time at sea, and is said to inhabit the Arctic sea of both continents. 



According to Mr. Audubon, this species is not uncommon off the 

 coast of Maine during summer. Breeds on Sable Island, Nova 

 Scotia, and ranges at times to great distances seaward. 



'' In the Northern British Islands it is common during the breed- 

 ing season. At the south end of the Isle of Man lies a little islet, 

 divided from Man by a narrow channel, called the Calf of Man, 

 on which are no habitations, but only a cottage or two, lately built. 

 This islet is full of rabbits, which the Puffins, coming yearly dis- 

 lodge, and build in their burrows. They lay but one egg. The 

 old ones, early in the morning, at the break of day, leave their 

 nests and young, and the island itself, and spend the day in fish- 

 ing at sea — never returning except at twilight. They feed the 

 young ones from the contents of their loaded stomachs, during the 

 night. They become extremely fat, and are taken and salted down 

 for keeping and permitted by the Romish Church to be eaten in 

 Lent." — Bewick'' s British Birds. 

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