Any one of numerous species of long-winged oceanic birds of the genus
Puffinus and related genera. They are allied to the petrels, but are larger. The Manx shearwater (
P. Anglorum), the dusky shearwater (
P. obscurus), and the greater shearwater (
P. major), are well-known species of the North Atlantic. See
Hagdon. [
1913 Webster]