Vol. XIll AxTHOXY, The Fulmars^ of Southern California. lO"? 



I'^gs J " ' * 



great. I have several times seen them killed by Portugese 

 fishermen who had but to drop a small piece of fish overboard 

 and hit the bird with a club when it swam up to get it. 



I was one day becalmed in a small schooner several miles off 

 shore when several Fulmars settled near us after the usual sweep 

 about our vessel. I had a fresh bonito on deck which I began to 

 cut up and toss over to them. The fish was too heavy to fioat, 

 sinking quite readily, and no attention was paid to a piece that 

 had sunken over eighteen inches, and even those that had reached 

 that depth were not always secured. 



In diving they used both feet and wings, the latter only half 

 open, the primaries seeming to be used very little, if any, but kept 

 drawn back with the secondaries. Once under the water they 

 make good headway, seizing the fish, which is swallowed imme- 

 diately upon reaching the surface. 



By lying flat upon the rail of the schooner I could just reach 

 the water with my finger tips when the waves favored me, but 

 even at tliis disadvantage it was only a few moments till I had 

 captured several Fulmars by coaxing them up with bits of fish and 

 grabbing them when the roll of the vessel placed me near enough. 

 When thrown upon deck they made no attempt to fly, but with 

 outstretched wings hurried to the rail, over which they could just 

 reach, and emptied the contents of their stomachs into the sea, a 

 performance they attempted to repeat whenever they were 

 disturbed. Their actions were so like those of sea-sick landsmen 

 that it was extremely laughable. The popular belief among 

 sailors is that they are really sea-sick, but of course the action is 

 prompted by anything but nausea. It is more likely that the 

 stomach contents are given up, as the Tern disgorges when 

 pursued by a Jaeger, as a ransom. 



When tossed overboard it was only a few minutes until the 

 same birds were back again, as full of confidence as before, and 

 one. to the foot of which I tied a piece of twine a yard long, 

 followed the schooner nearly all day, often disappearing a mile or 

 more ahead and returning again. 



In catching Fulmars with my bare hands I found that it was 

 quite safe to let go of them as soon as convenient, for they are 

 provided with an unusually sharp bill, and are singularly willing to 

 use it. 



