THE PUFFIN AUK. 



381 



eggs were offered for sale at a shop where natural curiosities are 

 bought and sold. They were offered, I believe, at five pounds each, 

 which being a very low price, excited the suspicions of the bu/er, 

 who asked the seller to leave them while he examined them. He 

 examined them accordingly, and although he doubted, yet they 

 looked very genuine indeed. They had the peculiar smell of the 

 Auk's eggs, the hole through which the contents were extracted was 

 perfectly natural, the lining membrane of the egg being still in ita 

 place. Just as the price was about to be paid, a visitor happened 

 to enter the shop, who recognised the seller as a man who had sold 

 many of these eggs of late at the same price, but who manufactured 

 all the eggs himself. They were, in fact, nothing but models, ex- 

 quisitely copied, and accurate in every particular, but yet only a 

 omposition of plaster of Paris with other ingredients. 



THE PUFFIN AUK. 



The Puffin Auks appear in some parts of England about the begin- 

 ning of April. Their first employment is the forming of burrows for 

 their young-ones, in the earth or sand. This is the task of the males, 

 who are o intent on the business, as to suffer themselves at that time 

 to be taken with the hand. Some,, where there is opportunity, save 

 themselves the trouble of forming holes, by dispossessing Babbits 



The females lay one white egg each; and the males as well as 

 females perform the office of sitting, relieving each other when they 



go to feed. The young-ones 

 are hatched in the beginning 

 of July. The noise they 

 make when with their 

 young, is a singular kind of 

 humming, much resembling 

 that produced by the large 

 wheels used for the spinning 

 of worsted. On being seized, 

 they emitted this noise with 

 greater violence ; and from 

 its being interrupted by 

 their struggling to escape, it 

 sounded not much unlike 

 the efforts of a dumb man 

 to speak. 



The young-ones are en- 

 tirely covered with a long 

 blackish down ; and, in 

 fhape, are altogether so different from the parent birds that no one 

 would at first sight suppose them of the same species. Their bill also 

 is long, pointed, and black, with scarcely any marks of furrows. 



The Kamtschadales and Keriles wear the bills of Puffins fastened 

 about their necks with straps. The priests put them on with certain 



I'Ul'FIN AUK. 



