146 BRITISH .SEA. BIRDS. 
doubtful whether the bird ever voluntarily seeks the 
coast after it leaves it in early autumn with its 
young ; continued gales and storms will occasionally 
drive a bird even far inland, whilst rough weather 
often causes it to perish at sea, its remains being 
sometimes washed up in quantities. Its actions on 
the water are almost precisely the same as those 
of the Guillemot and Razorbill. It is an adept 
swimmer, a marvellous diver; it flies well and 
strongly, especially during the summer, where I 
have seen it in swarms, drifting round and round 
the highest peaks of its island haunt on apparently 
never-tiring-wing. At the summit of the cliffs its 
powers of flight may often be witnessed to per- 
fection. At St. Kilda, I have watched it gracefully 
poising itself in the air, its narrow wings beating 
rapidly, and its two orange-coloured legs spread out 
behind acting as a rudder. Of all the Auk tribe, 
so far as my experience goes, the Puffin flies the 
most. The Puffin feeds principally upon small fish, 
especially sprats and the fry of larger fishes ; it also 
eats crustaceans, and various marine insects. It 
dives often to a great depth, and is remarkably 
active beneath the surface; when on the water it 
generally tries to escape from danger by diving. 
Sometimes the Puffin may be seen close ashore 
during winter, but never in any abundance, 
The Puffin becomes by far the most interesting 
at its breeding places. The regularity of its appear- 
ance at these has often been remarked. In many 
