BIRDS 123 



other facial adornments. The upper parts of the plumage are black ; there is 

 a black band round the throat ; grey cheeks ; white under parts. It is a rather 

 silent bird, but can give vent to a loud alarm note " Owk " or " Ow " and a 

 long-drawn " Oo." It has a light and graceful flight, and is an expert diver. 

 It makes a nest of grass and feathers in a burrow, either a rabbit's or else 

 excavated by the bird, which always breeds in colonies. One whitish egg is 

 laid, slightly marked with brown. The Puffin feeds on fish and crustaceans. 

 Its chief enemies are gulls and hawks, which will often attack the young at 

 the entrance of the burrow, or kill the adult birds. 



Razorbill. This bird, so often found with the Guillemot, is present with 

 us ah 1 the year round, and breeds in colonies on the sea cliffs. It prefers to 

 lay its one egg in a crevice or under a ledge (compare GUILLEMOT) ; the egg 

 being more oval than the Guillemot's, but of much the same varying colour. 

 The black, axe-like beak, with a prominent white crescent-shaped mark across 

 it, is sufficient to distinguish it; but it is altogether a more thick-set bird 

 than the Guillemot, with greenish black upper parts, dark brown on the throat, 

 white underneath. The note is a long-drawn-out cry ; also a low, guttural call. 



Shearwater, Manx. One of the " Petrels." This bird is seen on all our coasts 

 throughout the year, but breeds only on the west and in Ireland, the Orkneys 

 and Shetlands. It used to breed on the Calf of Man. It is called by a variety 

 of names " MANX PUFFIN," " MACKEREL COCK," " LYRE BIRD," etc. It is 

 readily identified by its slender, hooked beak, long body, black upper and 

 white under parts, and short tail. It feeds on surface fish, small cuttle-fish, 

 free-swimming mollusca and crustaceans, and offal. It breeds in burrows 

 (often made by the bird itself) on the slopes of cliffs and islands, making a slight 

 nest of grasses. One egg is laid smooth, dead white. 



Three species of Shearwater may be seen in our waters, but this is the 

 only one that breeds here. The name is apparently given from their oblique 

 manner of flight when feeding, rising and descending with the waves, the 

 downward flight being sideways " shearing." It should also be remembered 

 that, whilst taking most of their food from the surface of the water, they are 

 also dexterous divers. 



Teal. These " Ducks," which are residents, to be found on fresh water, 

 may be recognized by their small size (14^ inches) and by the glossy green 

 patch on the wing. The male has a very handsome head, bright chestnut, 

 with a beautiful violet-green band from the eye to the neck, margined with 

 pale buff ; the female being brown-headed. From July to October the male 

 loses his bright colours, becoming more like the female. The beak is black ; 

 the general colours buff and brown. The nest is frequently found in heather 

 on moors and marshes, a hollow scantily lined with leaves and grasses, and 

 becoming filled with down. From eight to sixteen eggs are laid cream-white 

 slightly tinged with green. 



The Teal is the smallest British duck, and, after the Mallard, the most 

 numerous. Large numbers arrive in the autumn from North Europe. It is a 



