North American IJirds Eggs. 



11 



PUFFINS, AUKS and MURRES. Family ALCID/E. 



Puffins, Auks and Murres are all sea l)ir(ls and are only found inland when 

 blown there by some severe storm of winter. At this season numbers of them are 

 apt to lose their bearint^s and may sometimes be found witli their feet frozen in 

 some of our inland ponds. Puffins are heavily built birds in appearance, but 

 are very active both on the wing and in the water. Their wings are much larger 

 comparatively than those of the other members of this family, so they are 

 enabled to perform evolutions in the air, which are withheld from the others. 

 They stand upright on the sole of the foot and are able to walk quite easily on 

 hind. Puffins have very heavy and deep but thin bills, which are entirely unlike 

 those of any other bird and often give them the name of Parrot Auks. Puffins, 

 Auks and Murres are otherwise recognized by the presence of but three toes 

 which are webbed. 



12. Tufted Puffin. L ii iid a 



cirrluita. 



Range. — Pacific Coast from 

 Alaska southward to southern 

 California, breeding locally 

 throughout their range. 



Tufted Puffins are the largest 

 of the Puffins. In the breed- 

 ing plumage, they are a sooty 

 brf)wnish or black color ; the 

 •cheeks are white, and a long 

 tuft of straw colored feathers 

 extends back from each eye ; 

 the bill is bright red and 

 greenish yellow. They breed 

 commonly on the Farallones, 

 where two or three broods are 

 raised by a bird in a single 

 season, but much more abun- 

 dantly on the islands in the north. Their single eggs are laid in burrows in 

 the ground or else in natural crevices formed by the rocks. The eggs are 

 pure white or pale buff and are without gloss. They very often have barely 

 perceptible shell markings of dull purplisli color. The eggs are laid al)()ut 

 the middle of June. Size 2.80x1.90. Data.— Farallone Is., May 22, 1887. 

 Single egg laid in crevice of rocks. Collector, W. O. Emerson. 



I White 



13. Puffin. Fratcrcula arctira. 



Range. — North Atlantic Coast, breeding from the Bay of Pumly northward. 

 Winters from breeding range along the New England Coast. 



The common Puffin has the cheeks, chin and underparts white; upper parts 

 and a band across the throat, blackish. Bill deep and thin, and colored with 

 red, orange and yellow. They breed in large numbers on Bird Rock in the Gulf 

 •of St. Lawrence. The nest is either among the natural crevices of the 



