54 BUILD OF PUFFIN. 



rare and almost unknown bird. I therefore conclude, that 

 its autumnal course is along the western coasts of France, 

 Spain and Africa. 



Then when one takes a dead puffin in hand, there is a 

 great deal to admire in his huild. I learned from the fish- 

 ermen, that they very often catch puffins in their nets, and 

 in deep water too, so that we have strong evidence that 

 Mr. Puffin pursues his prey under water : now if we take 

 one round the waist and look in his face, we shall find his 

 heak is just the shape for cutting the water : it is a para- 

 gon of strength, yet offers no resistance : like the keen 

 edge of an axe, it cleaves its own passage, the body fol- 

 lowing, as a matter of course. The ribs and channels of 

 the beak are very curious ; possibly the ribs give additional 

 strength, and both they and the channels are so arranged 

 as to offer no resistance whatever. But the nostril is the 

 most remarkable : it is a long slit, close to the mouth, and 

 by passing a straw into it, you find that its opening is so 

 managed that it would be impossible for the water to get 

 in, however rapid the bird's course. As in the whole tribe 

 of auks, to which this funny-looking bird belongs, the 

 wings are short, and the legs are placed far behind, so that 

 in under-surface swimming both legs and wings serve as 

 fins to propel it through the water. Its chief food is fish, 

 and with these it feeds its young : the head of the fish is 

 is kept in the bird's mouth, which ends on each side in a 

 little 'India-rubber' kind of ring; this gripes the fish just 

 abaft the gills, and the fish's tail hangs dangling down. 



