PUFFIN. 473 



almost entirely closed by a naked membrane. Legs short, abdominal ; 

 feet with three toes only, all in front, united by membranes ; claws curved. 

 Wings and tail short. 



THIS singular -looking bird, whose aspect is rendered so 

 peculiar by the form and colours of its bill, is only a sum- 

 mer visitor to the British Islands, making its appearance 

 early in April, and departing by the end of August. High 

 rocks or cliffs on the sea coast, or the short turf frequently 

 to be found on the table land above, are the places selected 

 by Puffins for the great object of their visit, the repro- 

 duction of their species, and various localities about which 

 they assemble in vast numbers may be enumerated. In 

 Ireland, Mr. W. Thompson says, the Puffin is a regular 

 summer visitant, having breeding-haunts around the coast. 

 This bird visits the Isle of Man ; the coast of Anglesey ; 

 the Scilly Islands, where it is more common than in Corn- 

 wall ; the high cliffs of the Isle of Wight, between the 

 needle rocks and Freshwater gate ; the Yorkshire coast ; 

 the Fern Islands ; Puffin island in the Frith of Forth, and 

 others of the numerous Scottish Islands. 



These birds sometimes become the victims of stormy 

 weather in winter. Mr. Wm. Thompson, of Weymouth, 

 picked up five on the Chesil bank, apparently drowned, 

 and another was found washed ashore in Whitecliff Bay, 

 Isle of Wight. 



In reference to the Scilly Islands, Frederick Holme, 

 Esq., of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, to whom I am 

 indebted for many interesting notices on our British Birds, 

 sent me the following : " The Scilly Isles were held in 

 the 14th century, under the king as Earl of Cornwall, by 

 Ranulph de Blancminster for an annual payment of six 

 shillings and eight pence, or three hundred Puffins at 

 Michaelmas. 5 ' 



Early in May these birds deposit their single large egg, 



