526 



THE DIVING BIRDS — PVGOPODES. 



sea. When the time for migration comes, those birds which are not able to follow 

 their parents are deserted. 



On the land the Sea Parrot rests on the whoK- length of the foot and lioel, and 

 walks with a waddling gait. It flies rapidly for a short distance, and can swim and 

 dive well. 



On the American coast this bird formerly bred abundantly on the rocky islands 

 near the mouth of the Bay of Fundy. Th's it still does, but in greatly diminished 

 numl)ers. It becomes quite abundant off the coa.st in the latter part of the fall ivnd 

 during winter and early spring, and extends along the coast as far as Long Island, 

 where, according to Giraud, it is of occa.sional but rare occurrence. Audubon has 

 known it to wander as far south as the Savannah Kiver. This happened only once ; 

 namely, in the winter of 1831-18;i2. 



In his excursion to Labrador Audubon visit<>d several of the breeding-places of 

 this bird. In one, where the soil was light, many of the burrows extended to the 

 depth of five or six feet. The ground was everywhere perforated like a rabbit-warren. 

 On the 28th of June none of the eggs were found to have been hatclied. On the 12th 

 of August he visited Perroket Island, alxtut two miles from the harbor of Bras d'Or, 

 where these birds were breeding in thousands. This time he found the burrows 

 inhabited by young birds of different ages. Clouds of Puffins were flying overhead, 

 having fish in their mouths, with which to feed their young. The fish were about 

 five inches in length, and are known as the " Lint." As they flew the birds uttered 

 a loud croaking noise, but did not drop their tish, even when brought down by a shot. 

 They manifested great affection for each other ; and when one was shot, its com- 

 panions would alight by its side, swim around it, push it with the bill, as if urging it 

 to fly or dive. Those that were wounded and fell on the land immediately ran into a 

 hole, where it was not safe to meddle with them. Those which were caught alive 

 bit so severely, and scratched so desperately with their claws, that their captors were 

 only too happy to let them go. The burrows communicated in various ways with 

 each other, and the whole island was so jjcrforated that there was danger of falling in 

 at every step. The birds did not leave during his visit, but attended to their duties. 

 Here one rose from under liis feet ; there, within a few yards, another would alight 

 with a fish and dive into its burrow, or feed the young that stood waiting at the 

 entrance. The young birds were continually* fighting, and their cries, which resem- 

 bled the wailing of young whelps, came up from under the ground with sepulchral 

 effect. In some instances two birds were found sitting, each on its egg, in the same 

 hole. He found great variation both in the shape and size of the eggs, some being 

 much more rounded than others. When boiled, the whites of the eggs became of a 

 livid-blue color. He found them unfit for food, and they are never collected by the 

 eggers. 



The flight of these "-ds is direct and firm. They can rise either from the water 

 or the land ; and can do this, if necessary, without running to gain impetus. Some 

 that he kept on board his vessel fed freely, and were very amusing; but they were 

 continually uttering an unpleasant grunting noise, and were never quiet during the 

 night. 



In the young the bills do not begin to acquire their peculiar form for several 

 weeks, and it is several years before the change is complete. 



Dr. Cones, in September, 1860, after his visit to Labrador, wrote me in reference 

 to this species, that they were breeding on the Puffin Island, so called, on the north- 

 ern side of the mouth of Groswater Bay. In several respects his statements are in 

 conflict with those of Audubon. At the place where the birds live which he visited, 



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