GBEAT SHEAEWATEE 549 



(Thompson, Nat. Hist. Irel.) ; recently, four were shot, 

 and from two hundred to three hundred observed between 

 Cape Clear and Mizen Head on September 9th, 1901, by 

 Mr. H. Becher, who also saw a large flock of this and the 

 Sooty Shearwater, between the Blaskets and Skelligs on 

 September 13th, 1901 ('Irish Naturalist,' 1905, p. 43). 



This bird has also been recorded from the following 

 counties : Galway, Mayo, Sligo, Donegal, and Down. 



To these may be added the record of numbers seen in 

 June, 1896, about Kockall, a wild, wave-swept rock in the 

 Atlantic Ocean, some 250 miles west of the Scottish coast. 



On that occasion Mr. Jameson counted sixteen in one 

 flock, while Mr. Barrington saw at least forty together 

 within half a mile of Eockall. In fact, the birds were sel- 

 dom seen in small numbers (Harvie-Brown and Barrington, 

 1 Notes on Rockall Island and Bank,' Trans. Boy. Irish Acad., 

 vol. xxxi.). 



Flight. This wandering ocean-bird is endowed with a 

 remarkably buoyant and well-sustained flight. It may be 

 seen skimming low with outspread and motionless pinions, 

 following closely the undulations of the ocean's surface. 



Its flight shows to the best advantage in fresh, rather 

 than in perfectly calm weather, when the bird, coursing over 

 the great rolling billows, dips into the troughs, out of which 

 it glides, and then mounts the crest of a breaking wave, 

 skirting the spray with quick and glancing turn. I have 

 generally observed single birds or small parties on the wing, 

 but far out in the North Atlantic I have seen as many as 

 thirty bunched together, swimming alongside the vessel. 

 Watters, in his ' Birds of Ireland,' mentions an instance of 

 a Great Shearwater which had been captured alive, and 

 though its wings were perfect and uninjured it never 

 attempted to fly ; and even when let fall from a height it 

 dropped heavily on the ground. It showed an inclination 

 to climb and several times mounted up the handle of a long 

 spade. 



Voice. This species, like others of its kind, is no doubt 

 noisy at night, especially in the vicinity of its breeding- 

 haunts, but when roaming over the ocean I have not heard 

 it utter any cry. 



Food. The Great Shearwater devours floating refuse, 

 and is particularly fond of oily substances. Surface fish and 

 other marine creatures, are preyed upon to a considerable 

 extent, and when feeding the bird may suddenly alight and 



