10 THE AUKS 



Greenland from about lat. 68 to Foulke Fjord, lat. 78 18'. The limits of its 

 winter migrations extend on the west of the Atlantic to New Jersey, and on the east 

 south to the Azores and Canaries exceptionally, although not recorded from the 

 Straits of Gibraltar. It has, however, been occasionally met with in the Mediter- 

 ranean. [F. c. R. J.] 



3. Migration. A winter visitor from the Arctic, mainly to our northern seas 

 and coasts. The number of birds that reaches our area is very variable, noteworthy 

 visitations taking place in some years. The winters 1841-2, 1894-5, and 1899- 

 1900 were remarkable in this respect : less so were 1848, 1861-2, 1878-9, 1884-5, 

 1889-90, and 1900-1 (cf. Witherby and Ticehurst, British Birds, ii. p. 332 ; Tice- 

 hurst, B. of Kent, 1909, p. 533; Nelson, B. of Yorks., 1907, p. 731; and Ussher 

 and Warren, B. of Ireland, 1900, p. 368). November, December, and January are 

 the chief months in which the species is found in British waters. [A. L. T.] 



4. Nest and Eggs. Does not breed in the British Isles. [F. c. B. J.] 



5. Food. The main food of this species consists of minute Crustacea, and 

 during the breeding season these are brought to the nesting-place by both parents 

 in the distended cheek. Other plankton organisms are also devoured, and, according 

 to Von Heuglin, Mollusca form part of its diet. Kolthoff notes that Amphipoda 

 are eaten, and Collett found in the stomachs of Norwegian specimens Crustacea 

 (Euphausia inermis) and traces of fish spawn. Among other genera of Crustacea 

 which have been noted may be mentioned Crangon, Palaemon, Mysis, etc. Saunders 

 states that during the autumn and winter months animal offal is also eaten. 

 [F. c. R. j.] 



PUFFIN [Fratercula arctica (Linnaeus). Sea-parrot, coulter-neb, pope, bottle- 

 nose, Tammie Norie (Shetlands), pibbin (Isle of Man). French, macareux 

 moine ; German, arktischer Lund ; Italian, polcinella di mare]. 



I. Description. The puffin, when adult, may be recognised at once by the 

 large size and brilliant colouring of the beak, and the bright orange-red legs. The 

 sexes are alike. (PI. 97.) Length 13 in. (330*19). There is no seasonal change of 

 plumage. The sides of the face are of a pale smoke-brown colour, the crown, nape, 

 a band round the neck, and the rest of the upper parts black ; the uppermost flank- 

 feathers are slate coloured, the rest of the under parts pure white. The upper jaw 

 is bounded behind by a raised fillet, cream coloured, and finely pitted. This is 

 succeeded by a triangular plate of pale blue-grey, the rest of the beak being red, 



