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M A N X SHEA R W A T E R .
PUFF1NUS ANGLORVM.
IT is only on the open sea that I have met with an Opportunity of watching llie 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 Firth of Forth, within a few miles or the Bass and the May, as well as in the North
Sea some twenty or thirty miles off the land, I frequently observed Shearwater-, during autumn. On the
JI inch and about the entrance to some of the saltwater lochs among the islands t caught a glimpse on
two or three occasions of single birds and small parties skimming over the waves in (be evening twilight
during summer; my time while in that district being, however, fully occupied I was unable to explore the
rocky islets to which they were said to resort.
A strong breeze at times brings large numbers of Shearwaters into the Firth of Forth. On the
11th of August, IB74, an attempt was made to reach the May in order to make lllmi llllieil on the
various species of sea-fowl resorting to the island ; a heavy sea rolling into the Firth with a breeze
gradually freshening into a gale from the north-east, however, put an end to all hopes of landing for the
remainder of the day at several of the spots we intended visiting. Alter steaming under the shelter of
the south side of the isluud to the eutrancc of several of the caves, we turned slowly hack towards the
south shore of the Firth, pissing hundreds or flannels plunging down for iish, utterly regardless of the
swell. Where the Uecse were most numerous several Shearwaters were sweeping round with their singular
and characteristic Might, hovering at times for a moment and apparently seizing some small particles of
food oil' the waves. Whether they merely dipped into the water while turning, or were engaged in securing
prey, I was unable to ascertain satisfactorily, the rolling and pitching of the steamboat and the Hying
spray rendering it impossible to use glasses to any purpose. A couple of shots were fired and oue bird knocked
down, though almost immediately lost sight of in the broken water. Parties of Shearwaters were met with
repeatedly I ill within about a couple of miles of the Ikiss; 1 have seen them on oue or two occasions only
between the rock and the shore. When viewe.i at the distance of two or three hundred yards, the llight
of these dusky-looking birds as they skim rapidly over the waves, chccklzig themselves to hover for a moment,
and the next darling oil'and circling round, appeared to bear a strong resemblance to the muvements of the
humming-bird moth. On bringing up oil' Canty Bay if was evident that, owing to the heavy sea and the surf
boating over the rocks near the landing-place, to make an attempt lo reach the shore with either of the
boats on hoard was decidedly risky. One of the crew had just suggested that we should steam up the Fifth as
far as North Berwick, where, be informed us, ''line intelligent horses and machines"• could be procured to
convoy us liaek to Canty liny, when a large salmon-coble with a strong crew was observed putting out lo sea;
it was a heavy pull making headway against the sw ell, hut at last they were alongside the vessel. Awaiting au
• The comevunci' one him iu this ]>urt of En.t Ijrthian, whether lamlau. ir.iBBinicUe, or -lojr-cirt, u inmiiat.1) termed a " •MUM."