BIRD-LIFE AT SEA. 249 



breeds in countless numbers no farther away from 

 us than Lundy Island ; and yet, during a residence 

 of eight years on the south coast, we have never 

 seen an example in Tor Bay, and not more than 

 half-a-dozen in the open Channel. Puffins are very 

 pelagic birds, the most so of the Auk tribe, and 

 after the breeding season is over go right out to sea. 

 In this respect they very closely resemble the 

 Petrels. The Puffin, however, has been obtained in 

 this bay, and local specimens are in the museum 

 at Torquay. The little Auk is not a much rarer 

 bird in winter in this part of Devonshire. Odd 

 birds are sometimes driven upon the coast by 

 storms ; several examples have been obtained 

 in Tor Bay, and a local specimen is in the 

 museum. All these three last-named species 

 must be regarded as comparatively rare birds 

 in the English Channel. 



The seas off this part of the Devonshire coast 

 must also be regarded as specially favoured by 

 the Divers and Grebes. Tor Bay is one of the 

 best winter resorts of the Great Northern Diver 

 along the entire south coast of the county. It 

 is a regular visitor to the bay in October, where 

 it remains until March or April, and specimens 



