186 
FURZE CHAT. 
such use to the islanders as this ; the Fulmar 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.” He adds, 
‘‘ that it is a certain prognostication of the change of wind ; if it come 
to land no west wind is expected for some time, and the contrary when 
it returns and keeps to sea.” 
Its food is entirely fish, particularly that of the most oily nature, 
by which means it is always charged with oil, and has the power of 
ejecting it with force from its bill, a mode of defence peculiar to the 
petrel genus. It is said to lay one large white egg the latter end of 
May. A very complete skeleton of this bird has been presented to us 
by Colonel Templer, which was given to, him by a master of a New- 
foundland trader. This bird, which seems to be known only by the 
title of John Down by the fishermen, attends the fishing vessels on the 
banks of Newfoundland, and feeds on the liver and offal of the cod-fish 
that is thrown overboard. It is taken by means of a hook baited with 
a piece of liver, and being stretched at length to a stick, it is sunk under 
water, and in half an hour, (as the informant declared,) is completely 
skeletonized by what the sailors call sea-lice. Some of these insects 
were procured for us in Newfoundland, and did not turn out to be what 
is usually denominated sea-louse, (^Oniscus,^ but Cancer Locusta^ the 
same in every respect as that found on our coast. 
FULVOUS. — *A colour which may be described as brownish, or 
reddish yellow, or tawny.* 
FURZE CHAT. — A name for the Whinchat. 
