PUFFIN ISLAND 



WILLUGHBY, speaking of " some remarkable Isles, 

 cliffs, and Rocks about England, where Sea- 

 fowl do yearly build and breed in great numbers," says 

 that Priestholm is " a small uninhabited Island near 

 Beaumaris in the Isle of Anglesey, belonging to my Lord 

 Bulkley," whereon build " the Anates Arcticae of Clussius 

 (here called Puffins), Razorbills, Guilliams, Cormorants, 

 and divers sorts of Gulls." On the Ordnance map the 

 island is called Puffin Island, and below in brackets are 

 Priestholm and St. Seiriol's Island. Giraldus called 

 it Ynys Lenach, or Priest's Island, " because many bodies 

 of saints are deposited there and no woman is suffered to 

 enter it." Other early writers spoke about it as Glan- 

 nauch or Glanach, but said it was more generally known 

 as Puffins' Island. Now the possessive is dropped; it is 

 called Puffin. 



Puffin, visible from many a popular seaside resort on 

 the North Wales coast, is well known. During the holiday 

 season it is a show place, pointed out as the tourist steamer 

 passes, visited from Llandudno, Beaumaris, and Llanfair- 

 fechan by sailing-boats. It is private property; visitors 

 are not supposed to land and wander where they will, but 

 if they behaved themselves no one would object. Un- 

 fortunately a certain class of holiday-maker refuses to 

 respect property; a party will land with guns to shoot 

 rabbits and sea-birds, even ruthlessly slaying the latter 

 during the breeding season; the eggs of the fowl are robbed 

 without regard for law or mercy. The keeper visits the 

 island from time to time, but is not resident; the damage 

 is done before he can reach the scene. 



