SHEARWATER. NATATORES. PUFFINUS. 531 
species as feeding by day and not by night, for he says, 
** the old ones, early in the morning at break of day, leave 
the nests and young, and the island itself, and spend the 
whole day in fishing in the sea, never returning or setting 
foot on the island before evening twilight, so that all the day 
the island is so quiet and still from all noise, as if there were 
not a bird about it.” This is repeated by Pennant, and by 
subsequent compilers ; but I am inclined to think, that from 
ignorance of the real habits of the bird, he has taken up a 
wrong impression, and that the stillness observed upon the 
island during the day did not arise from the absence of the 
birds at sea, but from their remaining in their burrows, tak- 
ing their natural repose, and which is, I think, borne out by 
the fact of their acknowledged activity at evening twilight 
and morning dawn.—This Shearwater feeds upon all kinds 
of marine animal substance, particularly such as is in a state 
of decomposition, and easily reducible to oil, into which it is 
soon converted by the action of the stomach. With this 
liquid it feeds its young, and also defends itself from its ene- 
mies by squirting it in their faces from its tubular nostrils. 
It flies very rapidly, skimming along the surface of the waves, 
and using its palmated feet to support itself whilst picking 
up its floating food, or to aid its impetuosity when cutting 
through the curling crests of the waves. For this purpose 
its feet are placed far backwards, so that on land it is com- 
pelled to sit nearly in an erect position. 
Prate 102. Represents the bird of the natural size, from 
the specimen above mentioned. 
Head, nape, back part of the neck, and upper plumage, 
deep greyish-black, with a glossy lustre. Sides of the 
neck and breast transversely rayed with grey and white. 
Chin, throat, fore part of the neck, and under plumage 
pure white. Behind the thighs is a patch of black. 
Quills and tail black, the wings, when closed, reaching 
nearly to the end of the tail. Bill yellowish-brown at 
ag 
Food. 
General 
descrip- 
tion. 
