M A NX Sll EAR WATER 
PUFriNUS ANGLORUM. 
It is only on the open sea that I have met with an opportunity of watching the habits and studying the 
actions of the Shearwater ; never having visited their breeding-quarters on any parts of our coasts, the 
information I am enabled to give concerning this species is exceedingly scanty. While steaming off the 
Scotch coast in the Eirth of Eorth, within a few miles of the Bass and the May, as well as in the Nortli 
Sea some twenty or thirty miles off the land, I frequently observed Shearwaters during autumn. On the 
:Minch and about the entrance to some of the saltwater lochs among the islands I caught a glimpse on 
two or three occasions of single birds and small parties skimming over the waves in the evening twilight 
during summer; my time while in that district being, however, fully occupied I Avas unable to explore the 
rocky islets to which they Averc said to resort. 
A strong breeze at times brings large numbers of ShearAAMers into the Birth of Forth. On the 
14th of August, 1871, an attempt Avas made to reach the May in order to make observations on the 
A'arious species of sea-foAvl resorting to the island ; a heavy sea rolling into the Firth Avitli a breeze 
gradually freshening into a gale from the north-cast, hoAVCA^er, put an end to all hopes of landing for the 
remainder of the day at several of the spots Ave intended visiting. After steaming under the shelter of 
the south side of the island to the entrance of several of the caves, Ave turned sloA\dy back toAAurds the 
south shore of the Firth, passing hundreds of Gannets plunging doAvn for fish, utterly regardless of the 
SAvell. MTiere the Geese Avere most numerous several Shear\A aters AA^ere sweeping round AA’ith their singular 
and characteristic flight, hovering at times for a moment and apparently seizing some small particles of 
food off the Avaves. MTiether they merely dipped into the Avater Avliile turning, or Avere engaged in securing 
prey, I Avas unable to ascertain satisfactorily, the rolling and pitching of the steamboat and the flying 
spray rendering it impossible to use glasses to any purpose. A coui)le of shots AA'ere fired and one bird knocked 
doAvn, though almost immediately lost sight of in the broken Avater. Parties of Sheanvaters AA^ere met Avith 
repeatedly till Avithin about a couple of miles of the Bass ; I have seen them on one or tAvo occasions only 
hetAveen tlie rock and the shore. When vicAved at the distance of two or three hundred yards, the flight 
of these dusky-looking birds as they skim rapidly over the Avaves, checking themselves to hover for a moment, 
and the next darting off and circling round, appeared to bear a strong resemblance to the movements of the 
humming-bird moth. On bringing up off Canty Bay it AA'as evident that, owing to the heavy sea and the surf 
beating OAmr the rocks near the landing-place, to make an attempt to reach the shore Avitli either of the 
boats on hoard Avas decidedly risky. One of the creAV had just suggested that AA^e should steam up the Firth as 
far as North BerAvick, Avhere, he informed us, “fine intelligent horses and machines”* could be procured to 
convey us hack to Canty Bay, Avhen a large salmon-coble Avitli a strong creAV aa^s observed putting out to sea ; 
it Avas a heavy pull making licadAvay against the SAvell, hut at last they AA'ere alongside the vessel. AAvaiting an 
* The conveyance one hires in this part of East Lothian, whether landau, waggonette, or dog-cart, is invariably termed a “ machine.” 
