The terrestrial mammals and birds of North-East Greenland. 121 



Fulmar. Fiilmanis glacialis L. 



According to Koch and Bertelsen the Fulmar was nesting in 

 great numbers on a steep, inaccessible rock some 500 meters high 

 — facing the sea — Mallemukfjeldet (lat. 81° 12' п.). Some of 

 the birds belonging to this nesting colony appeared already in the 

 middle of April at the shore from lat. 79^45' n. to 80" 20'. Although 

 it was so early in the season, several spots with open water were 

 found here. 



A solitary Fulmar would now and then appear outside this part 

 of the coast, but only about the isles and skerries lying farthest out 

 from the shore and in dense fog. — Inside the firths it would never 

 come. 



As well during the outward as the homeward navigation through 

 the pack-ice, I could daily observe Fulmars, which with great au- 

 dacity and without the slightest bit of fear, came to the ship to get 

 a part of the offal, which was thrown out. In closely packed ice 

 with but few openings only solitary flying birds were to be seen, 

 but on stretches, where the ice was drifting in smaller scattered 

 flakes the Fulmars would join in flocks counting sometimes as 

 many as 20 birds; the flocks rarely contained a greater number. 



They used to lie in the wake of the ship zealously quarreling 

 over the bits of blubber thrown out for them. 



While in the Atlantic the Fulmars were rather reserved and 

 would never come close to the ship, they proved so fearless in the 

 ice, that pieces of blubber, which I handed them, were snatched 

 from my hands. In the wake I could catch so many of them, as I 

 wanted, by aid of a bent pin as hook and a piece of blubber as 

 bait. As soon as a captured bird was let free, it would immediately 

 go on the hook again. 



From the surface of the sea the birds would dive — using their 

 wings with great dexterity — for sinking pieces of blubber, some- 

 times to a depth of more than one meter. They would never try 

 to dive by plunging. When captured a Fulmar will defend itself 

 bravely by aid of the bill; they often struck my hand so hard, 

 that the blood would run. 



When I placed a Fulmar on the deck, it would immediately 

 lie down and seemed not to be able to stand on its feet, neither 

 did I see them stand, when they came to a carcass of a seal lying 

 on a flake of ice. They only moved slowly forward awkwardly 

 creeping or wriggling their body. They only succeeded in getting on 

 their wings again by creeping to the edge of the ice or by plunging 

 in the water. They were not able to fly up from the deck of the ship. 



