BIRD ROCK 



179 



about, and its hoarse voice half grunt, half groan 

 added to its unattractiveness. 



In Nature, however, their trim appearance was 

 very pleasing ; Paroquets, the French-Canadians call 

 them, and one has only to see the bird in life to ap- 

 preciate the applicability of the name. It is not 

 alone their looks but also their actions which suggest 

 the Parrot. Unlike the Murres and Razorbills, they 

 do not rest on the whole foot, but stand quite erect 

 on the toes alone, and 

 run about with the 

 characteristic pattering 

 steps of Parrots. When 

 the wind blew fresh 

 from the sea they often 

 faced it, hovering a 

 foot or two above the 

 rocks on outstretched, 

 motionless wings, and 

 retaining for several 

 seconds this perfect bal- 

 ance between gravity 

 and air pressure. 



It is quite possible 

 that I may have wholly 

 misjudged the Puffin's 

 character, and that 

 when unmolested their 

 nature is peaceable in 

 extreme. At any rate, 



they seem to be not only on excellent terms with 

 their own kind, but with the very distantly re- 

 lated Leach's Petrels, with which they sometimes 



94. Young Puffin on nest at the end 

 of burrow. 



