268 WEAK-WINGED DIVING BIRDS 



tion ensues, the air being filled with quarrelling, screaming 

 masses of bird life." ("Handbook," p. 17.) 



In its breeding plumage, the California Murre has a jet- 

 black head and neck, the back is dull black, or slate-color, 

 and the under-parts are white. In winter the sides of the 

 head and throat are white. The range of the species is from 

 California to Hall Island, Bering Sea. 



THE AUKS AND PUFFINS 



The Puffins are the clowns of the bird world. Without 

 exception they are the drollest-looking things in feathers. The 

 countenance of a Puffin always reminds one of a face in a com- 

 ical mask, while in manner they are so solemn, and take life so 

 seriously, their clown-likeness is all the more pronounced. 



The most remarkable feature of a Puffin is its huge, triangu- 

 lar beak, which is flattened out into two high, thin plates, set 

 edgewise against the head and gorgeously colored. After the 

 breeding-season certain plates at the base of the beak are shed. 

 The bird is about the size of a wood duck. Its wings are short 

 and very scantily feathered, and its tail is so short as to be 

 practically invisible. In flight its wings look very much like 

 the wings of a penguin as it swims with them under water. 



In many respects Puffins are wise birds, and if there is 

 aught in the survival of the fittest they should live long and 

 prosper. They have the remarkable habit of nesting in 

 burrows, which they dig deeply, usually about three feet, in 

 the steep sides of sandy hills. In these retreats they can de- 

 fend themselves against enemies of several kinds. In the 

 defence of their homes they are quite courageous, and often 



