MANX SHEARWATER 



Pitffinus anglorum 



Manx Shearwater is pretty widely distributed on the 

 western coasts of the British Islands, wherever they are 

 precipitous enough to afford it security. It breeds on the 

 Scilly Isles and on several islands off the Devonshire 

 coast. In Scotland it breeds on many of the rocky islands 

 off the coast, such as Eigg, the Garvelloch Isles, Soay off 

 St. Kilda, Hoy in Orkney, and on the Shetlands. It also 

 breeds in several localities on the Irish coast. It is not known to breed any- 

 where on the east coast of England or Scotland, but in autumn and winter it 

 is seen off almost every part of the British shores. 



Like most of its kind, the Manx- Shearwater spends the greater part of its 

 time on the open sea, flying rapidly over the waves in erratic circles, like some 

 huge Swift. Its flight is most peculiar, being sometimes almost bat-like, and at 

 other times swift and dashing like a Guillemot's ; when swimming it sits rather 

 low in the water, and progresses with speed. During the breeding season the 

 Manx Shearwater is almost nocturnal in its habits, but at other times it may 

 be seen at all times during the day. In stormy weather it delights to career 

 wildly to and fro among the roaring waves, like most of the Petrel family, 

 following the curve of the waves, sometimes deep in the trough of the sea, 

 again high up above the crest of some huge wave. 



The food of the Manx Shearwater is chiefly composed of scraps of fish 

 offal, etc., found floating on the surface of the waves. Small cuttle-fish and 

 molluscs are also eaten, and the bird eats large quantities of sorrel, which it 

 obtains on the cliffs where it breeds, no doubt to counteract the oily nature of 

 its food. 



I have visited one or two breeding-stations of these birds in various parts 

 of Scotland, and give here a few notes on one of them : 



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