PRELIMINARY CLASSIFIED NOTES 389 



off the east coast (cf. Saunders, III. Man. British Birds, 2nd ed., 1899, p. 751). To 

 the Yorkshire coast it is a casual autumn and winter visitor, but, on the other hand, 

 it rarely conies south to the Channel (cf. Nelson, B. of Yorks., 1907, p. 764 ; and 

 Ticehurst, B. of Kent, 1909, p. 553). It is occasionally seen in Dumfriesshire after 

 storms, and is a rare occasional visitor to North Wales, chiefly Merioneth (cf. 

 Gladstone, B. of Dumfries., 1910, p. 471 ; and Forrest, Fauna of N. Wales, 1907, 

 p. 416). It is " frequently met with at all seasons on the Atlantic," but it rarely 

 comes to the Irish coasts ; its occurrences are chiefly between September and 

 November, but also in January, March, May, and June (cf. Ussher, List of Irish 

 Birds, 1906, p. 54 ; and Ussher and Warren, B. of Ireland, 1900, p. 396). [A. L. T.] 



4. Nest and Eggs. Although in many cases the fulmar makes no nest 

 whatever, but deposits its egg on a depression in the turf or soil or detritus of broken 

 rocks, yet occasionally a little dry grass or withered tufts of sea-pink form an apology 

 for a lining, and on rocky ledges small flat pieces of stone are frequently arranged 

 round the egg. Many nesting-sites are in inaccessible cliffs, usually but not in- 

 variably over the sea, but in crowded colonies the eggs may be found on the tops 

 of stacks and on gently sloping turf. (PL LXXIV.) Only one egg is laid, white, 

 rather coarse and rough in texture, and it is said occasionally showing traces of red 

 spots. (PI. V.) Average size of 80 eggs, 2-88 x 1 -95 in. [73'2 x 49'7 mm.]. Both 

 parents take part in incubation, the male it is said chiefly by night, and the period 

 is unusually long. Faber estimates it as 35 to 40 days, Hantzsch at six weeks, while 

 the inhabitants of Grimsey give seven weeks ! In St. Kilda the first eggs are laid 

 in the second week of May, the young birds emerging from 21st June onwards ; in 

 Iceland they are generally laid during May, but fresh eggs may be met with even in 

 June. Only one young bird is reared in the season. [F. c. R. J.] 



5. Food. Fish, Mollusca, including cuttle-fish, offal obtained from ships, 

 and sorrel when ashore. The young are fed on oil. [w. P. P.] 



The following species and subspecies are described in the supplementary chapter 

 on "Rare Birds": 



Madeiran fork-tailed petrel, Oceanodroma castro (Harcourt). 

 Wilson' s-petrel, Oceanites ocednicus (Kuhl). 

 Frigate-petrel, Pelagodroma marina (Latham). 

 Mediterranean-shearwater, Puffinus kuhlii (Boie). 

 Sooty-shearwater, Puffinus griseus (Gmelin). 

 Levantine-shearwater, Puffinus puffinus yelkouan (Acerbi). 

 VOL. IV. 3D 



