The Sea=birds of the Fame Islands 



195 



themselves, or by the rabbits whieh are also found here, I 

 do not quite know. At any rate, the Puffin is well equipped 

 witli his big l)eak for excavating a hole for himself, or 

 equally well fitted, by means of the same weapon, for ousting 

 tlie rabbits ri ct (uinis from their habitations. 



At the end of these l)urrows the Puffins lay one large 

 white Qgg^. They may be readily cauglit in the lioles, 

 which are not as a rule beyond arm's-length. But l)efore 

 going Puffin-catching it is advisable to put on a stout 

 glove ; for the first intimation that the bird is at liome 

 will be a sharp nip, and you realise that the Puffin has 



Puffin's Burrow, showing Egg and Head of Bird. 



caught you first. It can l)ite liard — nearly hard enough to 

 take a piece out of yoiu- glove — and hang on vindictively, 

 its little black eyes seeming to twinkle with anger and 



