NORTHERN FULMAR. 



S35 



yellow. Captain Sabine suspects they are two years 

 attaining maturity. 



The Northern Fulmar chiefly affects the ocean, 

 seldom visiting the shores unless for the purpose of 

 breeding, or when compelled to shelter itself from 

 the fury of the wind : it is said to lay one large white 

 egg, the latter end of May, and to breed only in the 

 north polar regions. 



It is seldom seen on the British coasts, except on 

 those of the northern part of Scotland, where it is 

 not uncommon during the summer months. It is 

 very numerous in the Isle of St, Kilda, where it re- 

 mains the whole year (except during the months of 

 September and October), and supplies the inhabitants 

 with a vast quantity of oil, which is used for culinary 

 as well as medical purposes. Pennant says of those 

 of this island, that — no bird is of such use to the 

 islanders as this ; as it supplies them with oil for 

 their lamps, down for their beds, a delicacy for their 

 tables ! a balm for their wounds, and a medicine for 

 their distempers." 



Its food consists principally of fish, but it will de- 

 vour indiscriminately any floating putrid substances, 

 such as the filth of ships, which it fearlessly follows. 

 These birds also follow the tracks of the w^ounded 

 whales, and, when they are exhausted, alight on the 

 carcases by hundreds, and ravenously pluck off and 

 devour lumps of the blubber until they are satiated. 

 This gross food causes them to become excessively 

 fat, and their stomachs are always charged with oil, 

 which they have the power of ejecting with force 



