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severe storm; and one is said to have been shot in November 1863 at Hoier, in Western 

 Schleswig." Naumann says that after heavy weather it is sometimes, though rarely, seen near 

 Heligoland and off the mouth of the Elbe. Baron von Droste-Hiilshoff writes (J. f. O. 1866, 

 p. 391) that one was caught in an exhausted state on the shore of the island of Borkum ; and 

 two specimens, obtained off the coast of Holland, are in the Leiden Museum. It is also said to 

 occur from time to time on the northern coasts of France, usually after severe storms ; but it has 

 not been met with on the southern coasts of Europe. 



In the southern hemisphere the present species does not occur, and it is said to be replaced 

 in the Pacific Ocean by an allied species, Fulmarus rodgersi, which is figured in Messrs. Dall and 

 Bannister's article on the Birds of Alaska. This species is said to differ from Fulmarus glacialis 

 in being rather smaller and in having the plumage tinged with uniform greyish brown. 



Like its allies the present species is essentially a bird of the ocean, and comparatively seldom 

 seen near land, except during the breeding-season and when driven in by severe tempests. I 

 have only seen it skimming along the face of the ocean when I have crossed the Atlantic, and 

 can give no details of its habits from personal observation. Dr. Saxby, writing on its habits as 

 observed by him in Shetland, says (B. of Shetl. p. 362): — "The Fulmar is a bird which shows so 

 many peculiarities as to render the fishermen not a little superstitious with regard to it ; indeed 

 they do not at all like to molest it, for fear of ill-luck ensuing, a Shetland fisherman's super- 

 stitions, from the moment of his leaving his cottage-door for the haaf until he sets foot on dry 

 land on his return, being something almost incredible to the ordinary English mind. Other birds 

 surrounding the boats at sea, one and all, appear rather afraid of it — its bulk scarcely exceeding 

 that of a common Gull, and its ways of getting a living being sufficiently unobjectionable ; at 

 any rate, other birds avoid it as a rule. It can certainly take care of itself; and when interfered 

 with while sitting upon the water, it draws back the head, ruffles the feathers, droops the wings, 

 and opens the bill threateningly. When caught it bites very hard. It is seldom met with at a 

 less distance than fifteen or twenty milesfr-om the land. The open boats constantly go out thirty 

 miles or so, fearful as is the risk ; and it regularly approaches the boats from north or north-east, 

 and retires towards the quarter whence it came, being always the most numerous before bad 

 weather. In a strong wind, however, they do not very readily come from the windward. 



" It will sometimes suddenly appear in great numbers when the lines are being hauled in, 

 and is often so eager for food as to allow itself to be caught by hand, under which circumstances 

 it does not vomit oil, as do the Shearwaters and Storm-Petrels. Occasionally it is so bold as 

 even to snatch morsels of food out of the boat itself. No part of the fish comes amiss to it; but 

 it greatly prefers the liver, a scrap of which it will see a very long way off; and often it will not 

 care to touch any thing else, except any oil which may chance to be about, the sipping which up 

 from the surface of the water affords it great pleasure. 



" The faculties of the bird appear keen enough. Not a single Fulmar may be in sight ; 

 but let the bait be thrown out, and they will come in numbers, especially in the early morning, even 

 in a thick fog ; whence the men say they are guided by the scent. When a large morsel falls 

 to its share, the bird sits on the water and tears it ; but a small piece is either swallowed at once 

 or carried away, the bird seldom eating otherwise than while sitting on the water, even alighting 

 for the purpose." 



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