FULMAR PETKEL 489 



cs. ('OU>R. Adult, Above, dnrk slaty-blue. White beneath to breat, tlicn gradually becoming dusky until the under 

 tail coverts arc us dark as back. Sides of head and neck all nruiind, pale yellow. Shaftnof primaries. brown, esctptnig the 

 first two which are white. Iris, brown, bill, greenish, and feet, black. Young, smoky-brown throughout, mottled with 

 ashy, and the central tail feathers only project slightly. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Known by the long central toil feathers, which are acuminate even in the young, small size, And white shads to two 

 outer primaries. Distributed, in summer, throughout the Arctic Regions, wandering as far south aa Massachusetts in win- 

 ter. DIMENSIONS. Length, 2tr(>0; stretch, 40-00; wing, 12'<iO; tail, 12'00; bill, 1-15; tarsus, I'55. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



Eyys, placed on the ground, two or three in number, rather pointed oval inform, deep yellowish-brown in color, pot- 

 ted, blotched, and lined with redJish-brown and umber of varying shades. Dimensions from I'50x3'l& to 1 56x2'25. 



II. U5ITS. 



Buffon's Skua is by far the rarest of the three species of the genus, which are of reg- 

 ular occurrence with us, as it appears to spend the greater portion of its time far out to sea. 

 On account of the peculiar, long tail, this species is called Whip-tail by sailors. 



FAMILY II. PROCELLARID^E. THE PETRELS. 



Bill, generally shorter than head and strongly curved at tip. Nostrils, tubular. Hind 

 toe, present or absent. Marginal indentations, four or absent. Keel, usually perforated. 

 Primaries, long and secondaries, short. 



Members of this family are closely feathered, fly remarkably well, .and possess the pow- 

 er of swimming, but do not move with ease upon the ground. The bill is made up of sev- 

 eral parts. The young are covered with down at birth, but are helpless and ure fed by the 

 parents until able to fly. 



GENUS I. PROCELLARIA. THE FULMARS. 



Gen. Cli. Bill, strong, rather short, and somewhat compressed near tip. Tarsus, short and strong. Toes, fully webbed 

 and with a spur in place of the hind toe. Tatl, rounded. Members of this genus are generally largo and of varying color. 

 There are two s|*des within our limits. 



PBOCELLARIA GLACIALIS. 



Fulmar Petrel. 

 Procellaria ylacialis LINN., Syst. Nat., I; 1760, 213. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sr. Cu. Form, robust. Size, medium. COLOR. Adult. Back and wings, pale bluish-ash, becoming brownish on 

 primaries. Remainder of plumage, white, strongly tinged with ashy on tail. Iris, bill, and fe:t, yellow. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Ivi^ily recognized by the pure white head. Occurs in the Northern Atlantic. DIMENSIONS. Length, 19'95; stretch, 

 32-00; winj;, l.'J-00; tail, 4'25; bill, 1'85; tarsus, 2'00. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



Eyys, placed m holes of rocky cliffs, one in number, elliptical in form, pure white in color, with the shell very brittle 

 Dimensions from 2'00x2'75 to2'05x2'80. 



HABITS. 



The Fulmar Petrels are found far out to sea, often accompanying whaling ships, for 

 they are fond of feeding upon blubber. They breed in holes of rocky cliffs, in the far North, 

 :ind the young are at first fed by regurgitation, upon oil, with which the stomachs of the 

 adults are so filled, that they vomit it upon the slightest provocation, and thus are extreme- 

 ly disagreeable birds to handle. 



PROCELLARIA ILffiSITATA. 



Black-capped Fulmar. 

 Procellaria htesilata Krni.. MOD. Proc. Beit. Zool.; 1820, 14-J. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sr. CM. Form, slender. Size, smaii. COUJK. Adult, llnck, wiiys, terminal lialioftail, a fuw of its up|icrcoViTls 



