386 PETRELS AND SHEARWATERS 



are mottled with dark grey, almost forming a pectoral band, and there is a patch 

 of black feathers in the femoral region. The beak is of a dark horn colour ; the iris 

 dark brown ; the legs and toes have the outer surface black, the inner light pink, 

 while the webs are bluish. The juvenile dress is like that of the adult. The downy 

 young is sooty brown, [w. p. p.] 



2. Distribution. The only known breeding-places of this species are on 

 the western coast of Great Britain, the Orkney and Shetland groups, and the Irish 

 coasts. In the Scillies there is a very large colony on Annet, and it is believed to 

 have bred on Lundy Island, while another large breeding-station exists at Skomer 

 in Pembrokeshire, and smaller colonies are found on Skokham, Bardsey Island, 

 the Carnarvon coast, etc. It bred formerly on the Calf of Man, and there are many 

 nesting-haunts on the islands off the west coast of Scotland, amongst others on 

 Eigg, Rum, Canna, Skye, the Treshnish Isles, Flannan Isles, and the St. Kilda 

 group ; while there are breeding-stations in the Orkneys, at Hoy, Stronsay, etc., 

 and in the Shetlands on Foula, Unst, and probably Fetlar. In Ireland the largest 

 breeding-places are on the Skelligs and Puffin Island (Co. Kerry) and Rathlin Island, 

 but other colonies exist on the Saltees, Blaskets, Aranmore (Co. Donegal), off the 

 Mayo coast, and on that of Co. Wicklow and Dublin, etc. Outside the British Isles 

 its distribution is local : it breeds in the Faeroes in some numbers, and on the 

 Vestmann Islands in Iceland, and is said to occur on the Norwegian coast, but has 

 not been proved to breed there. It is said also to breed in the Azores (Godman) 

 and Madeira (Schmitz), and perhaps also in the Canaries. On migration it has 

 occurred in Greenland (once), and south in the Atlantic to the Brazilian coast (once), 

 Bermuda (once), and more regularly to the New England coasts. [F. c. R. J.] 



3. Migration. Widely distributed in British waters throughout the year 

 (cf. Saunders, III. Man. British Birds, 2nd ed., 1899, p. 741). The existing data 

 regarding its seasonal movements is altogether insufficient to afford any conclusions : 

 the habits of the species render it a very difficult one to observe. It is " present 

 in the Firth of Forth every year from May to October, at first only a few, but hi 

 hundreds during August and September," while odd birds are occasionally seen 

 at other times, e.g. February (cf. W. Evans, in Witherby and Ticehurst, British 

 Birds, vol. ii. p. 421). In Yorkshire it is a bird of passage, sometimes occurring 

 in considerable numbers in autumn, and occasionally even inland ; but to Kent 

 it only comes as an occasional storm-driven visitor (cf. Nelson, B. of Yorks., 1907, 

 p. 769 ; and Ticehurst, B. of Kent, 1909, p. 551). It is uncommon in Dumfries- 

 shire ; but it breeds on some of the Welsh islands and is frequent off the coast ; 



