NATATOHES. ALCADÆ.
T H E P U F F IN ,
S e a P a r r o t , a n d C o u l t e r n e b .
Aléa afctiçâp ThePufyt, .Pas». Bü&.Zool. aroLai. p. 15$^, '»»Ii » ■ - Mont.’ Omith.' D iet/
'»> ' >4 »» »> • ,'ir. •' ^BEWidkyBrit. Birds,vol. ii. p. 18||$fe
Fratercula,,- Common Coulterneb) F lem. Brit. An. p. 130. „ - ,, „ Puffin, . Selby, Brit. Ornith. vol, ii. p. 439,r 1
j, ,j The ’ ■ 'Jenyns,Brit. Vert. p. 260.
Mormon . fratercula,,,J, ■ Gouxd,Temm. Birds of Europe, pt. ii. M a c a r e a u moine, Man. d’Ornith. vol.ii.p. 933.,
F r a t e r c u l a . Generic Characters.—Bill shorter than the head, higher than
long, very much compressed, both mandibles arched, transversely grooved,
notched towards the point; the culmen as high as the top of the head, and
with a cutting edge. - Nostrils lateral, marginal, linear, naked, almost entirely
closed by a naked membrane. Legs short, abdominal ; feet with three toes
only, all in front, united by membranes-^ claws curved. Wings and tail
short.
T his singular looking bird, whose aspect is rendered so
peculiar by the form and colours of its bill, is only a summer
visiter to the British Islands, making its appearance early in
April, and departing by the end. of August. High rocks or
cliffs on the sea coast, or the short turf frequently to be
found on the table latid above, are the places selected by
Puffins for the: great object of their visit, the reproduction of
thei* species, and various localities about 'which they assemble
in ’vast numbers may be enumerated.' In Ireland, Mr. W .
Thompson says,- tire Puffin is a regular summer visitant,
having breeding-haunts around the' coast. This bird visits
thevlsle of Man;, the coast Of Anglesey-,;, the Scilly Islands,
where it; is more-common than in Cornwall; the high cliffs
of the Isle of Wights between the needle rocks and Fresh-
;water-gate~; the Yorkshire coast; the Fern Islands; Puffin
island in the Frith of Forth, and others of the numerous
Scottish islands.,
-Early in May thOse birds deposit their single large egg,
sometimes > in crevices and fissures pn the perpendicular surface
of the Uiffs, at the depth of three or four feet from the
front. Rabbit warrens are not unfrequent on our coast, and
where this happens the Puffins often contend with the rabbits
for the possession.. of some of the burrows. Many
Puffins, Mr. Selby observes,- “ resort to the Fern Islands,
selecting such as are covered with a stratum of vegetable
mould; and' here theyrdig theif own burrows, from there
not’ being any rabbits to dispossess upon the particular islets
they frequent. They commence this operation about the
first week in May,, and the hole is generally excavated to the
depth of three feet, often in a curving direction, and occasionally
with two entrances. When engaged in digging, which
is principally performed by the males, they are sometimes so
intent upon their work as to admit of being taken by the
hand, and the same may also be done during incubation.