HARDWICK&S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



177 



the Puffin {Fratercula arctica), I shall now proceed to 

 describe. 



Shortly after the occurrence of the vernal equinox, 

 when azure skies and exhilarating gales betoken the 

 advent of spring, away, far out upon the deep, where 

 some desolate, wave-worn islet or islanded cliff towers 

 above the waves, or fast by some dreary sea-shore, 

 flanked by a tall, beetling armoury of inaccessible 

 rocks, vast bands of sea-birds assiduously prosecute 

 their breeding duties. Xot surmounting all the seats 

 of the assembled congeners, but ranged in a modest 

 position about the middle of the cliff, there may 



138.— The Black Guillemots (Uria gryllej. 



readily be discerned a lengthy array of curious 

 perforations, somewhat resembling an extensive 

 rabbit warren. These are the breeding resorts of the 

 comical little Puffin. Externally everything would 

 seem to be in comparative repose ; but just let anybody 

 try the experiment of thrusting his bare hand into one 

 of these holes, and he will have ample reason to 

 repent of the proceeding, for assuredly he will receive 

 a sharp bite from a most formidable, eccentrically- 

 shaped bird beak. Presently the body of the bird to 

 which this curious appendage belongs, will appear 

 and assume a threatening attitude towards the 

 invader of its chosen haunt. 



The Puffin is about a foot in length, with black 



wings and back ; a black collar round the throat ; 

 white cheeks, chin and breast ; orange legs, blackish- 

 brown claws, and a very comical expression of 

 countenance. The aforesaid beak is sharp at the 

 point, compressed laterally, and bears three grooves 

 on the upper mandible and two on the lower. The 

 colouring of this beak is as fantastic as its shape. 

 The lateral ridge of the upper mandible is greyish- 

 yellow, and that of the lower mandible orange-red, 

 the triangular space in front of both being orange- 

 red and bluish-gray. When inspected from a short 

 distance, it would appear as if somebody out of sport 

 had clapped a glued and horny mask upon 

 the bird's face, so extraordinary does this 

 beak-like appendage appear. An utter incon- 

 gruity is perceptible somewhere or other ; 

 the face and top of the head are curiously 

 projected, and, at the same time, flattened 

 laterally, a circumstance which imparts to the 

 former an unequivocally ludicrous expression. 

 The appendage, moreover, imparts a species 

 of domineering pomposity to the bird, which 

 seems manifestly incongruous with the size 

 and combative capacities thereof. 



But although not particularly handsome, at 

 least so far as form extends, the bill is, never- 

 theless, eminently useful to the puffin in three 

 ways. In the first place, it is thereby enabled 

 to capture fish. The bird dives expertly, and 

 swims under water by means of the conjoint 

 action of feet and wings, until a desired morsel 

 is securely grasped in its mouth. This is 

 commonly a sprat, or other such fish, and 

 frequently some six or seven (eleven have been 

 seen) of these choice morsels are observed 

 hanging in a row dangling free along the 

 bird's beak, all doomed soon to pass through 

 " red lane." Again, the burrows or breeding 

 holes, already adverted to, are often originally 

 constructed by the male puffin digging and 

 tunnelling with resolute zeal and invincible 

 perseverance, into the sand, until a winding 

 aperture is hollowed out, in some cases eighteen 

 inches, in others, three feet or more in depth. 

 Frequently, however, the rights of property 

 and of prescriptive possession are not at all respected 

 by this impudent little sea-bird ; for when an al- 

 ready constructed rabbit-hole happens to be fixed 

 in a suitable situation, it will take forcible and im- 

 mediate possession thereof. Nor will it allow its 

 tenure to be disturbed ; for after sundry combats with 

 the former denizen, in which, by the way, the sharp 

 beak proves of eminent service, it will violently eject 

 the poor rabbit out of house and home ; and, upon 

 the principle that might is right, forthwith and with- 

 out scruple, instal itself in the vacated seat. 



The prodigality of animal life inherent in the sea- 

 birds now under review, is exhibited under the form 

 of great liveliness, smartness of movement, pugnacity, 



