234 



THE PUFFIN. 

 Fratercula arctica. 



PLATE XIX. 



Alca arctica, Linn. Fratercula arctica, Steph. Mormon frater- 

 cula, Temm. Puffin or Sea Parrot, of British, author*. 



THIS curious bird is a summer visitant only to our 

 shores, repairing to them for the purpose of incuba- 

 tion ; its winter range, however, does not seem to 

 be so correctly ascertained, Mr. Selby stating that 

 the rest of the year is spent on the southern coasts 

 of France and Spain. Around our islands it is com- 

 mon, extending to St. Kilda and Shetland in the 

 one direction, and to the Isle of Wight in the other ; 

 it is also frequent on the coasts of Ireland. We have 

 observed it chiefly in the islands in the Firth of 

 Forth. It sometimes breeds in fissures of the rocks; 

 but its most general resort is in holes or burrows, 

 either formed by itself, or supplied by rabbits if 

 they happen to be inhabitants of the same locality. 

 On the Bass Rock, the holes in the ruins of the old 

 fortifications afford a retreat, burrows being also 

 made in the shelving ground in front of the build- 

 ing, and which is almost the only station for them 

 on this rock. On a small rocky island, opposite the 



