158 BRITISH BIRDS 



The Yellow Plover. See Golden Plover. 



THE POCHARD. See under Ducks. 



THE POOL SNIPE. See Redshank. 



THE PUFFIN. 



This bird is of very common occurrence in many parts 

 of Great Britain and Ireland, and is found in lesser 

 numbers nearly all round our coasts. It is chiefly distin- 

 guished by its peculiar beak, which is much compressed 

 laterally and is adorned with a variety of bright colours, 

 orange, yellow and blue, w^hile the angles of the mouth 

 are bright red inwardly and canary yellow on the outside. 

 The top of the head, the back, wings, tail and a ring 

 round the neck are black with varied metallic reflections ; 

 the under parts are white running into light grey on the 

 vent and under tail coverts. The legs are orange, and 

 the feet grey with an orange shading. 



The solitary ^^g is laid under a ledge of some precip- 

 itous cliff, or in a deserted hole of a rabbit. Incubation 

 lasts a month, and in about 6 weeks the young are fledged 

 and able to shift for themselves. At first the bill is round 

 and pointed like that of the Guillemot. 



THE PURRE. See Dunlin {under Sandpipers). 



THE PUTTOCK. See Harrier (Marsh). 



