PUFFIN. 235 



harbour of North Berwick, a large colony of these 

 birds used to resort; they breed entirely in bur- 

 rows, or under piles of large rocks; when ap- 

 proaching the island, the tops of these rocks might 

 be seen covered with those which were not on 

 duty under them ; and when alarmed, they would 

 betake themselves to the sea; but, after a time, 

 they appeared to congregate, and flew in one large 

 flock around the island, taking the same line ; so 

 that, by standing on one spot,, we procured as many 

 as we wished from the regular return of the flock 

 past us. 



The Puffin is used as an article of food by vari- 

 ous island and northern tribes in whose vicinity 

 they breed, by the St. Kildeans they are eaten, and 

 the " Voyagers round the Coast of Scotland and the 

 Isles " have stated that their chief sustenance at this 

 time consisted of the small sea-fowl before-men- 

 tioned under the name of Puffin. They are caught 

 by stretching a piece of cord along the stony places 

 where they chiefly congregate, to which nooses are 

 attached, and many are salted for the winter's 

 use. ' 



Out of Europe, we do not know how far south 

 their breeding stations extend ; but northward they 

 incubate in very high latitudes. In the New World, 

 Audubon observed them, in winter, as far south as 

 the entrance of the river Savannah, in Georgia, and 

 found them breeding in abundance in Labrador, 

 some of the islands being completely undermined 

 by them. 



