NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 129 



PUFFIN. 



FRATERCULA ARCTIC A (Linnaeus). 



The Puffin is still a very abundant species on Handa, and 

 especially on "■ The Stack," where they lay their eggs on the top, 

 amongst some loose stones and rubble. They also breed numer- 

 ously in the gap in the opposite cliff, and are plentiful on all parts 

 of the rocks where there are green slopes of grass, and cairns of 

 loose stones and other debris; often, as in other localities, dis- 

 puting for possession with the rabbits. The cragsmen assured 

 me that not many years ago the Puffin was almost the most 

 numerous species on Handa, and at that time the eggs could be 

 taken from holes on the flat tops of the rocks, but of late that, 

 as in the case of the Black Guillemot, rats have driven them to 

 search for securer situations. Puffins were then much less abun> 

 dant on the sloping top of " The Stack," their present numbers 

 there being attributed to their desertion of these formerly in- 

 habited places. But I have observed that Puffins are very much 

 more numerous on "The Stack" in some years than in others, 

 and I incline more to the belief that their choice for the season 

 may be considerably influenced by the direction of the prevailing 

 winds, when they " come up " from the sea. Thus, the gap in the 

 cliff opposite "The Stack" is always well populated, as it is 

 sheltered by " The Stack " from the north-west winds and waves. 



EAZOEBILL. 



ALCA TORI) A, Linnaeus. 



The Eazorbill is plentiful. It seldom breeds low down on the 

 clifis. I do not think that the arrangement, so to speak, of the 

 different species on the cliffs of Handa in tiers, one above the 

 other, is so observable for its regularity as in many other nurseries 

 of sea fowl. The Kittiwakes are always low down : the Puffins 

 seem to occupy the whole face of the cliffs, wherever suitable 

 cracks or crevices are to be found, or cairns, or patches of green : 

 the present species seldom descends below half way : the Guille- 

 mots crowd on all the ledges, save those occupied by the 

 Kittiwakes, and on "The Stack" they breed likewise on the sloping 

 summit. In such places, indeed, where the ledges are at regular, 

 or nearly regular, distances from one another, the different species 



VOL. n. I 



