680 AVES— GREAT AUK. 



view and search out their former situations, and see whether all be well 

 This done, they once more depart ; and, about the beginning of May, return 

 again with the whole army of their companions. But if the season happens 

 to be stormy and tempestuous, and the sea troubled, the unfortunate 

 voyagers undergo incredible hardships ; and they are found, by hundreds, 

 cast away upon the shores, lean, and perished with famine. 



The puffin, when it prepares for breeding, which always happens a few 

 days after its arrival, begins to scrape out a hole in the ground, not far from 

 the shore ; and when it has penetrated some way into the earth, it then 

 throws itself upon its back, and with its bill and claws thus burrows inward, 

 till it has dug a hole with several windings and turnings, from eight to ten 

 feet deep. It particularly seeks to dig under a stone, where it expects the 

 greatest security. In this fortified retreat it lays one egg, which, though 

 the bird be not much bigger than a pigeon, is the size of a hen's. 



Few birds or beasts will venture to attack them in their retreats. When 

 the great sea raven comes to take away their young, the puffin boldly op- 

 poses him. Their meetings afford a most singular combat. As soon as the 

 raven approacees, the puffin catches him under the throat with its beak, and 

 sticks its claws into its breast, which makes the raven, Avith a loud scream- 

 ing, attempt to get away; but the little bird still holds fast to the invader, 

 nor lets him go till they both come to the sea, when they drop down together, 

 and the raven is drowned ; yet the raven is but too often successful, and, 

 nvading the puffin at the bottom of its hole, devours both the parent and 

 us family. 



THE GREAT AUK 1 



fs distinguished peculiarly by the form of the bill, which is strong, convex, 

 compressed at the sides, in general crossed with several furrows, and in 

 some degree resembling the coulter of a plough. 



It is the size of a goose ; its bill is black, about four inches and a quarter 

 in length, and covered at the base with short, velvet-like feathers. The 

 upper parts of the plumage are black, and the lower parts white, with a 

 spot of white between the bill and the eyes, and an oblong stripe of the 

 same on the wings, which are too short for flight. The bird is also a very 

 bad walker, but swims and dives well. It is, however, observed by seamen, 



1 Aka impenuis, Lis. The genus Alca has the bill straight, broad, compressed, much 

 bent towards the tip, both mandibles half covered with feathers, and grooved near the 

 point, the upper hooked, the lower forming a salient angle ; nostrils lateral, marginal 

 li <ear, situated near the middle of the bill, almost entirely closed by a membrane, ano 

 covered with feathers ; legs short, placed lar behind, with three toes directed forwards, 

 and pahnated ; vings short. 



