THE PETRELS 



2295 



the back and wings somewhat darker than the rest. The fulmar breeds in the 

 boreal regions of both Hemispheres; but some authorities consider that in the North 

 Pacific and Behring Sea it is replaced by two distinct species. In autumn and 

 winter, the fulmar is a by no means uncommon, although probably involuntary, 

 visitor to the southern shores of Britain, and has been recorded as far south as the 

 Mediterranean. 



In habits, the fulmar is very like its larger cousin, nesting in hollows in the 

 ground, instead of in deep burrows like the shearwaters, and feeding largely on 



FULMAR 



(One-fourth natural size.) 



whale blubber and refuse. Scoresby writes that these petrels ' ' are remarkably easy 

 and swift on the wing, flying to windward in the highest storms, and resting on the 

 water in great composure in the most tremendous seas; but it is observed that in 

 heavy gales they fly extremely low, generally skimming along by the surface of the 

 water. They are extremely greedy of the fat of the whale, and though few should 

 be seen when a whale is about being captured, yet, as soon as the flensing process 



