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Birds. 



THE PUFFIN, (Fratercula arctica,) 



Is another short-winged water bird, but, unlike the 

 Northern Diver, it visits us in the summer, and breeds 

 on our shores. It is about a foot long, and has the back 

 and wings black, the cheeks and all the lower parts of 

 the body, except a band round the neck, white, and the 

 feet orange. Its bill is very curious, and has obtained 

 for it the names of Sea Parrot and Coulterneb in some 

 places. This organ is large and strong, but flattened at 

 the sides ; it is of a bluish colour, with three grooves and 

 four ridges of an orange colour. The Puffin flies swiftly, 

 and swims and dives almost as well as the Great Diver; 

 it breeds sometimes in crannies amongst the rocks, and 

 sometimes in a hole which it digs in the turf or in a 

 rabbit-warren. 



