540 



6 



Mr. G. Gillett, in his Notes on the Birds of Novaya Zemlya, says (Ibis, 1870, p. 307) : — 

 "This bird is a constant attendant on ships in the Arctic seas. Its flight is exactly like that of 

 a Woodcock, as it skims over the waves with its large bright eye constantly peering into the 

 water for the chance of blubber. It is easily caught with a baited hook, and when placed on 

 deck is quite unable to rise or even to stand upright, but shuffles along by the help of its wings. 

 It will readily eat blubber, however, directly it is caught, and when thrown overboard will come 

 again at the hook without the least hesitation. It never, so far as I know, settles on flat ice ; 

 on one occasion only did I see one on the sloping side of an iceberg ; usually it is on the wing 

 or sitting on the water." 



The Fulmar breeds on high rocks skirting the ocean, usually selecting almost inaccessible 

 spots, where it is tolerably free from molestation. Macgillivray, jun., says (Brit. B. v. p. 431) 

 that in St. Kilda it " breeds on the face of the highest precipices, and only on such as are 

 furnished with small grassy shelves, every spot on which above a few inches in extent is 

 occupied by one or more of its nests. The nest is formed of herbage, seldom bulky, generally a 

 mere shallow excavation in the turf, lined with dried grass and the withered tufts of the sea- 

 pink, in which the bird deposits a single egg." Speaking of its habits as observed by him on 

 the island of St. Kilda during the breeding-season, he says, " On the 30th of June, having 

 partially descended a nearly perpendicular precipice 600 feet in height, the whole face of which 

 was covered with the nests of the Fulmar, I enjoyed an opportunity of observing the habits of this 

 bird which has fallen to the lot of few of those who have described them as if from personal 

 observation. The nests had all been robbed about a month before by the natives, who esteem 

 the eggs of this species above all others, those of the Auk, Guillemot, Kittiwake, and Puffin 

 ranking next, and the Gannet, Scart, and Cormorant last of all. Many of the nests contained 

 each a young bird, a day or two old, thickly covered with long white down. Such of the eggs 

 as I examined in situ had a small aperture at the broad end, at which the bill of the chick 

 was visible, sometimes protruding a little way. Several addle eggs also occurred. The young 

 birds were very clamorous on being handled, and vomited a quantity of clear oil, with which I 

 sometimes observed the parent birds feeding them by disgorging it. The Fulmar is stated in 

 most works on ornithology to possess the power of ejecting oil with much force through its 

 tubular nostrils, using this as a mode of defence ; but, although I surprised several upon the 

 nest, I never observed them attempt this. On being seized they instantly vomit a quantity of 

 clear amber-coloured oil, which imparts to the bird, its nest, and young, and even the very rock 

 which it frequents, a peculiar and very disagreeable odour. Fulmar-oil is among the most 

 valuable productions of St. Kilda, and is procured of two kinds by different processes. The 

 best is obtained from the old bird by surprising it at night upon the rock, and tightly closing 

 the bill until the fowler has secured the bird between his knees with its head downwards. By 

 opening the bill the Fulmar is allowed to disgorge about a tablespoonful, or rather more, of oil 

 into the dry gullet and stomach of a Solan Goose, used as a reservoir for that purpose. These, 

 when filled, are secured with a string, and hung on cords across the interior of the huts until 

 required for use. The oil thus procured and preserved, besides supplying their lamps, is used 

 by the inhabitants as a medicine, being sometimes of considerable efficacy in chronic rheumatism, 

 and acting as a cathartic ; while, from its nauseous taste and smell, it would doubtless prove an 



