SHEARWATERS AND PETRELS 



(Family Procellariidce) 



Greater Shearwater 



(Puffinus major) 



Called also: H AGDON ; WANDERING SHEARWATER; COM- 

 MON ATLANTIC SHEARWATER 



Length 19 to 20 inches. 



Male and female Upper parts dark grayish brown. The feath- 

 ers, except when old, edged with lighter brown ; the wings 

 and tail darkest ; lightest shade on neck ; the white feathers 

 of the fore neck abruptly marked off from the dark feathers 

 of the crown and nape. Under parts white, shaded with 

 brownish gray on sides; under tail coverts ashy gray; upper 

 coverts mostly white. Wings long and pointed. Bill, which 

 is dark horn color, is about as long as head, and has a strong 

 hook at the end. Legs and feet yellowish pink or flesh color. 



Range Over the entire Atlantic Ocean, from Cape Horn and 

 Cape of Good Hope to Arctic Circle. 



Season Irregular visitor to our coast; abundant far off it in 

 winter. 



Off the banks of Newfoundland and southward, passengers 

 on the ocean liners sometimes see immense flocks of these birds, 

 smaller than gulls, though larger than pigeons, flying close over 

 the waves, in a direct course, with strong wing beats, then float- 

 ing often half a mile with no perceptible motion of the wings. 

 The stronger the gale blows, the more does the shearwater seem 

 to revel in it; for as the waves are lifted high enough to curl over 

 in a thin sheet, allowing the light to strike through, the tiny fish 

 are plainly revealed, and quick as thought the bird dives through 

 the combing crest to snap up its prey. Any small particles of 

 animal food cast up by the troubled waters are snatched at with 

 spirit, while with uninterrupted flight the shearwater sweeps 



67 



