THE FULMAR. 297 



and white species, that forms very populous colonies on 

 some of the remoter western islands of Scotland, and is 

 occasionally seen elsewhere, is remarkable for the quan- 

 tity of this oil which it disgorges. Yet, notwithstanding 

 its strong-tasted flesh, it is eagerly sought after by the 

 islanders, who annually consume many thousands of the 

 young birds, besides multitudes of eggs. In pursuit 

 of these the intrepid fowler has to ascend or descend 

 frightful precipices, or to hang suspended in mid-air. 

 The birds, according to Mr. Macgillivray, build only 

 on the steep faces of the cliff, where small patches of 

 grass here and there occur : " The nest is formed of 

 herbage, seldom bulky, generally a mere shallow excava- 

 tion in the turf, lined with dried grass and the withered 

 tufts of sea- pink, in which the bird deposits a single egg, 

 of a pure white colour when clean, which is seldom the 

 case, and varying in size from two and a half to three 

 inches in length, by two inches in breadth. The small- 

 est bird of the fami]y, and the smallest web-footed bird 

 known, is the Storm Petrel (Thalassidroma pelagica), 

 well known to mariners by the name of Mother Carey's 

 Chicken, and dreaded by them from its supposed appear- 

 ance immediately before a storm. In a sailor's supersti- 

 tion it is believed to rise out of the sea. This little creature 

 lives almost constantly at sea, except during the breeding- 

 season, when it visits maritime rocks, and unfrequented 

 parts of the coast, and there deposits its solitary egg in 

 holes or crevices. It feeds on any floating animal sub- 

 stance, or on such small soft animals as it can master ; 

 and when at sea, may be seen constantly flying about 

 hither and thither, at a short distance from the surface, 



