340 COMMON OBJECTS OF THE SHORE. 



given to this bird from the apostle Peter, because 

 of this circumstance. 



On our northern and western shores vast flocks 

 of those antiquated looking birds, the Puffins, con- 

 gregate in the spring, and stay till the autumnal 

 winds warn them to depart for the warmer shores 

 of Southern Europe. Venerable birds are they, 

 looking down from the ledges of the lofty cliffs on 

 which they have perched themselves, as if they 

 were moralizing on the follies of mortals below; 

 or keeping their sharp keen eyes fixed on the 

 waters, till some fish appears near the surface, 

 when they dart down and capture their prey. 

 Their allies the Auks, and the Guillemots, called 

 Wild Willies on some of our coasts, also cover some 

 of the cliffs in unnumbered flocks, making such 

 a confused noise, as if quarrelling and screaming, 

 that their shrill cries seem almost to bewilder the 

 wanderer below. 



The dark dusky-looking Cormorants may be seen 

 on our southern shores, spreading out their wings 

 to dry their plumage, which, unlike that of many 

 diving birds, gets thoroughly wetted by their 

 plunging under water. Sometimes as we watch 

 this bird, we may see its head emerge from the 

 sea, but it pursues its prey down beneath the sur- 

 face, and devours it with such voracity, that the 

 proverb, " as greedy as a cormorant," is a familiar 

 one. It is provided by Almighty skill, for the 

 purpose of feeding on larger fishes than can be 

 swallowed by most birds, with a very large gullet 

 or tube, between the mouth and stomach, and it 

 is said even to be able to swallow a flat fish. Its 

 digestion is so rapid, that a tame bird has been 

 inown to eat three or four pounds of fish twice in 



