The Oologist. 



VOL. XI. XO. 12. 



ALBION, N. Y., DEC, 1894. 



Whole No. 110 



A Few Notes on the Tufted Puffia. 



The Tufted Puffia [Lunda cirrhaln) 

 belongs to a curious snb-family of birds, 

 its grotesque beak alone making it au 

 object of curiosity. 



It is known as tiie "Sea Parrot" from 

 its general resemblance to a parrot, but 

 more particularly because of its beak. 

 The structure of the Puffin is compact 

 and it is one of the most powerful sea 

 birds found on the Faralloue Island . It 

 has great wing power, as have all the 

 sea birds for in the migratory season 

 they cover immense distances. 



numbers, usually on the rocks near the 

 summits of the higher cliffs. They will 

 often sit perched on a rock near the 

 entrance to their burrows for a consid- 

 erable time, making not a sound and 

 suggesting to one a sentinel in the per- 

 formance of ■ a solemn and important 

 duty. They are the most striking birds 

 that inhabit the cliffs. The body is 

 almost a uniform black terminating 

 abruptly at the neck, the head being 

 white. Two straw-yellow plumes, one 

 on either side of the head, curve back 

 and downwards, are of almost a silken 

 fineness. The immense beak consists of 



From Photo by Barlow. 



Egg. Nest and Nesting Site of Tufted Puffin. 



The Tufted Puffin is seldom found 

 •along the Coast, but Mr. L. M. Loom is 

 of the Cal. Academy of Sciences has 

 recently proven by personal observa- 

 tions that many of the sea birds (among 

 them the Puffin) keep well out at 

 sea in their migrations, with the coast 

 line barely in view as a guide. 



On the P'arallone Island the Tufted 

 Puffin is to be found in consideraljle 



several transvei'se sections, colored, 

 with varying shades of red, green and 

 Vermillion. 



The Puffins are exceedingly wary 

 when on duty near their burrows and 

 keep a lookout on all sides, and if 

 one approaches them and makes a 

 threatening movement — they immediat- 

 ely plunge from their perch and swift- 

 i^' sail out over the ocean. They are 



