360 OUTDOOR LIFE IN ENGLAND 



in size some of the larger gulls. A peculiarity of 

 this bird is its faculty of squirting an oily substance 

 from its bill when seized or attacked, this oil being 

 used by the parent bird for the purpose of feed- 

 ing its young. It is well known to the crews 

 of whaling-ships, as it is ever in close attendance 

 wherever whaling or sealing is going on, feeding 

 ravenously on the dead carcases of the whales and 

 seals at every opportunity. It is rarely found save 

 off the Northern and Eastern coasts of Britain, 

 generally keeping out to sea and clustering around 

 the fishing-smacks. The head, neck, breast, and 

 belly are white ; the back, wings, tail, and vent of 

 a gray colour ; the bill is of a yellowish colour ; 

 the legs and feet ash-gray. It breeds in some of 

 the northern islands of Scotland. 



The great shearwater visits these islands at 

 times during the autumn, but its visitations are 

 so irregular that it cannot be described as 

 being other than an uncommon, if not rare, bird. 

 It has been more frequently noticed off the 

 coasts of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, and Ireland, 

 being well known to the Irish sea-fishermen by 

 reason of the avidity it displays in devouring the 

 pieces of fish with which their hooks are baited ; 

 and, from all accounts, it is a gross, greedy 

 feeder, and a powerful bird whether in flight, 

 swimming, or diving. The bill is dark brown ; 

 the head and nape ash-coloured brown ; the 

 cheeks, chin, throat, sides of the neck, and the 

 breast are white ; the back of the neck nearly 



