MONOGRAPH OF THE PETRELS. 



of the inhabitants. Puffins and Fulmars abound there, and breed upon the face of the 

 high cliffs, which on Conachan rise to an elevation of 1200 feet; they are so numerous 

 on the wing that they almost obscure the distant view, and produce the effect of a 

 heavy snowstorm. Every inch of the grass ledges is occupied with nests, composed of 

 shallow structures excavated in the turf and lined with dry grass and withered tufts 

 of sea-pink (Armeria maritime/,), in which the single egg is laid. Those found on 

 Conachan by Elwes were marked with reddish spots and speckles, but others obtained 

 elsewhere were spotless. The birds were tame enough to be taken by the hand, but on 

 being seized would vomit a quantity of amber-coloured oil, emitting an evil and 

 singularly penetrating smell. 



Fulmar-oil is one of the most valuable products of the island, and the best is 

 obtained by surprising the old birds upon their nests, and after placing them head 

 downwards between the knees, the bill is opened, and the bird is made to disgorge a 

 tablespoonful or more of oil into the dried gullet and stomach of a Gannet, which 

 is used as a reservoir for the purpose. 



Early in August the natives descend the rocks, by means of ropes, in search of the 

 young Fulmars ; these, when boiled, furnish a quantity of fat, which is preserved in 

 casks in solid form. The old birds, too, are much esteemed as articles of food on 

 account of their subcutaneous fat, of which the natives are inordinately fond. The 

 feathers of the breast are said to be unusually thick and close, but on the stomach there 

 is a bare hollow space about the size and shape of an egg. 



Adult male. Above silvery-grey, the longer scapulars dark grey towards the 

 tips ; wing-coverts darker grey than the back, the marginal coverts also darker ; quills 

 blackish, with ashy-grey margins and white shafts ; secondaries ashy-grey, like the 

 wing-coverts ; lower back and rump ashy-grey, like the mantle ; upper tail-coverts 

 and tail-feathers lighter, rather paler and more silvery-grey, with white shafts 

 and white tips to the feathers ; head and neck all round pure white ; the hind-neck also 

 white, extending to the mantle, the feathers of which have ashy-brown tips, 

 producing a mottled appearance ; sides of face and under-surface of body pure white, 

 with a blackish shade in front of the eye ; under wing-coverts also white, the marginal 

 and primary-coverts ashy-grey ; quills light ashy-grey below, paler on the inner webs. 

 Total length, 17 inches; culmen, 1.6; wing, 13.5; tail, 4.9; tarsus, 2.15; middle 

 toe and claw, 2.9. 



The colour of the bill and feet are differently described by various writers. 

 Howard Saunders gives the following note : — " Forepart of the bill yellow, the sides 

 yellowish-white, the nasal tubes olive-colour ; legs and feet ash-colour." 



Gould, in his "Birds of Great Britain," figures the upper mandible as very pale blue, 

 including the nasal tubes, the nail yellowish, and the lower mandible orange. He 

 does not say whether these colours were taken from a freshly killed example. 



Macgillivray, in his " British Birds " (V., p. 430), says that recently killed 



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