407 



THE GREATER SHEARWATER. 



Puffinus major, Eaber. 



Is occasionally seeu upon the coast. 



Our information on this species as Irish is chiefly due to Mr. 

 Robert Davis, of Clonmel, who kindly furnished me witli the par- 

 ticulars of two examples which he procured in different years, 

 notices of which were published in the Proceedings of the Zoological 

 Society of London in 1837, p. 54, and 'Annals of Natural His- 

 tory' in 1842 (vol. ix. p. 433). When the first Irish bird was 

 announced, one individual only had been positively recorded as 

 British, but since that period Mr. Yarrell has brought together a 

 good deal of information on the species, the best of which was 

 supphed by Mr. D. W. Mitchell. This gentleman, mentions the 

 occurrence of P. major as not uufrequent on the Cornish coast, 

 and that it is well known to the inhabitants of the Scilly Islands. 

 The observations of my correspondent at Clonmel may still be 

 given in full, more especially as he only, so far as known to me, 

 has attended to the habits of the bird in captivity. Mr. Davis 

 remarked of the first specimen : — " This was taken in August 1835 

 near Dungarvan, county of Waterford, and sent to me alive. It 

 was apparently in good health, but would not eat anything, and 

 died after having, been in my possession for about ten days or a 

 fortnight. It had an extremely rank, fishy, or oily smell at all 

 times, but I never saw any appearance of oil being discharged 

 from its mouth or nostrils. It seemed unable to walk, but 

 scrambled along with its breast about an inch from the ground. 

 Although its wings were perfect and uninjured, it made no at- 

 tempt to fly, but if let fall from a height dropped heavily to the 

 ground. It showed an inclination to climb, having several times 

 mounted up the handle of a long spade that rested against the 

 wall of theyard in which it was kept. It did not ramble about, 

 nor care much for water, but when put in a large tub, very dcx- 



