146 FORM AND HABITS OF THE PUFFIN. 



Had you seen our reception, you would have sup- 

 posed we had been absent a month, instead of a few 

 days. — But I have said enough on this subject : it 

 is time to amuse you with something of a different 

 nature. 



In the course of our excursion, we visited the small 

 Island of Priestholm, which lies near the coast of 

 Anglesey. It might be called the land of puffins : 

 fifty acres of ground were literally covered with them ; 

 the air, the sea, the rocks, seemed alive with them. 

 They are so tame and inactive as to suffer themselves 

 to be knocked down with a stick. Their legs are 

 placed so far back, that they stand with their heads 

 nearly upright. Their bill forms a triangle, and is of 

 an orange red. The upper part of the plumage, and 

 a collar round the neck, are blackish, softened into a 

 greyish white ; and the under parts are quite white. 

 The legs are orange. Their tail and wings are short. 

 They do not rise from the ground with facility ; which 

 makes them generally careful to alight on places 

 from whence they can either nm down the slope of a 

 hill, or throw themselves from the rocks. 



Puffins are birds of passage, and resort to these 

 coasts in the spring, remaining here till about the 

 nth of August. They are fomiidable enemies to the 

 rabbits, that were once numerous on this island ; for, 

 on their arrival, they immediately take possession of 



