416 NATATORES. 



the tarsi two and a quarter ; the middle toe two and a half ; 

 the bill two and a half in the gape, and one and seven-eighths 

 from the tip to the front. The bill is rather slender, and the 

 nasal tube very little produced. The bill is horn-colour. 

 The tarsi are compressed, dull yellow on the fronts and the 

 webs, and brown on the other parts. A strong claw supplies 

 the place of the hind toe. The colour on the upper part is 

 dusky, or sooty brown, darkest on the middle of the head, 

 neck, and back, and the quills ; a slight tinge of lead colour 

 on the scapulars ; the under part paler brown, with a greyish 

 tinge on the throat. 



Nothing is of course known of the habits of so great a 

 stranger, farther than may be inferred from the general habits 

 of the genus to which it belongs ; but as they nestle and 

 breed lower down than the other two genera of petrels, it 

 may be concluded that this one does the same. In the 

 antarctic seas they take up their habitations on the low and 

 sandy islands where they can excavate holes, rather than on 

 the bold shores. 



THE MANKS PETREL, OR SHEARWATER (PuffinilS 



anglorum). 



This species occurs rather plentifully on many of the islands 

 on the western and northern shores j and though few or none 

 breed on the eastern coast of Britain, and none certainly on 

 the opposite side of the North Sea, or on the Baltic ; strag- 

 glers are found on the southern coast occasionally during the 

 winter, though, at that season, the greater number appear to 

 have a motion southward. 



The length of the manks shearwater is about fifteen inches ; 

 the extent of the wings about thirty-three, extending when 

 closed beyond the point of the tail. The colours of the plu- 

 mage are calm ; black on the upper part, and white on the 

 under ; the two colours broken into each other on the sides 



