548 



Family PUFFINID^E. 



GREAT SHEARWATER. Puffinus grams (O'Reilly). 



Coloured Figures. Gould, * Birds of Great Britain,' vol. v, pi. 83 ; 

 Dresser, 'Birds of Europe,' vol. viii, pi. 616, fig. 2; 

 Lilford, ' Coloured Figures,' vol. vi, pi. 58. 



The Shearwaters, like the Petrels, are oceanic in their 

 distribution, and though often occurring not far from the 

 coast, they very seldom land except at their nesting- 

 haunts. 



The Great Shearwater may be regarded as almost an 

 annual autumnal visitor in varying numbers to the waters 

 of the south coast of England, while it occurs more sparingly 

 and less regularly off the east side. 



Among recent captures may be mentioned a bird shot at 

 Lowestoft, in November, 1898 (A. Patterson, 'Zoologist,' 

 1901) ; and another, a male, obtained on November 27th, 

 1902, near the mouth of the River Welland in Lincolnshire 

 (F. L. Blathwayt, 'Zoologist,' 1903). 



There are several recorded occurrences from Scotland, 

 among which may be mentioned two specimens which were 

 picked up dead ; one in Skye, by the late Rev. H. A. Mac- 

 pherson, July 13th, 1885; the other in Barra, July, 1899. 

 In 1894, Professor Newton and Mr. Henry Evans observed 

 about thirty to forty pairs between the Butt of Lewis and 

 North Rona ; and numbers were seen in June, 1895, be- 

 tween Barra and St. Kilda (Ann. Scot. Nat. Hist., 3900). 



The Great Shearwater is a rather uncertain visitor to 

 the Irish coast ; it has been noticed chiefly about the South 

 and West, and in autumn, but it has occurred in spring and 

 summer. Most observations have been made from passing 

 vessels, while a few birds have been taken on baited hooks, 

 and two have been washed ashore dead (Ussher). A 

 specimen caught alive in August, 1835, off Dungarvan, co. 

 Waterford, appears to be the earliest recorded occurrence 



