182 
LARID.'E. 
passes all its time at sea, usually flying close to the sur¬ 
face of the water, or resting itself on the floating masses of 
ice that constantly abound in those latitudes. 
Its food seems to consist entirely of the carcases of dead 
marine animals. Many Fulmars follow the track of whale- 
fishers, and receive their share as soon as a fish is being cut up ; 
they are also constantly on the look out for any fat morsel 
that is thrown overboard ; and on such occasions the jealousy 
that becomes apparent for the choicest part of it is very con¬ 
siderable, judging from the fights that ensue. 
During the breeding-season, this species resorts to the most 
perpendicular rocks on the coasts, where its grassy nest only 
occupies a small space on the shelf, or is placed in a hole in 
a rock ; generally several nests of this kind are found close 
together, with one single egg in each. In the island of 
St. Kilda, the entire face of the rocks is literally covered with 
these nests. 
The birds are captured for the uses enumerated in the 
above quotation from Pennant; but it is necessary to add, 
that the oil which is procured from these bu’ds, is emitted by 
the Fulmar Petrel either in defence, or in the hope of driving 
away its enemies, and becomes ejected, unless the bird is 
taken by surprise; wherefore the pursuit of this bird is not 
only attended with the danger of falling down the precipitous 
places it frequents, but requires also skill and good manage¬ 
ment. 
The young birds, while in the care of the parents, are fed 
with the oil in question, and we are informed that the young, 
and the rock on which they are called into being, are per¬ 
fectly impregnated with the rank smell of this peculiar 
aliment. 
The flight of the Fulmar Petrel is, as we might expect 
from its habits, more like that of the swift {Cj/pselus mura- 
