61 
storms they fly low and near the shore ; 
but never cross over the land, even when a 
bay with promontories intervenes, bat fol- 
low, at an equal distance, the course of 
the bay, and regularly double every cape. 
I have seen many of the parties make a 
sort of halt for the sake of fishing : they 
soared to a vast height, then darting head- 
long into the sea, made the water foam 
and spring up with the violence of their 
descent; after which they pursued their 
route. I enquired whether they were ob- 
served to return southward in the spring, 
but was answered in the negative; so it 
appears they annually encircle the whole 
island/' 
The Rev. Doctor William Borlase, in 
a letter to the late Mr. Pennant, observes 
— " The bird now sent was killed at 
Chandour, near Mountsbay, September 
30, 1762. after a strong struggle with a 
water spaniel, assisted by the boatmen ; for 
it was strong and pugnacious. The per- 
son who took it observed that it had a 
transparent membrane under the eye-lid, 
with which it covered at pleasure the 
whole eye, without obscuring the sight or 
shutting the eye-lid ; a gracious provision 
