ORDER PALMIPEDES. 635 



that which precedes, they are all drawn with ease out of the 

 hole which they occupy. 



The Tufted Auk of Latham, fratercula cirrhata, belongs 

 to this subdivision. These birds never quit the sea during the 

 day-time, but do not remove more than five or six leagues 

 from rocks and islands. They live on Crustacea and testacea, 

 which they break with their bill, as with a wedge. The 

 male and female retire, during the night, into the crevices of 

 precipitous rocks, and into holes which they dig themselves, 

 to the depth of an ell, and they dangerously wound the im- 

 prudent hand that attempts to withdraw them. The female 

 lays one egg, of a middle size between that of the duck and 

 goose. Notwithstanding the considerable relations existing 

 between this and the last species, they do not live together, 

 nor do they even inhabit the same countries. While the puffin 

 auk is found in all the Northern Ocean, in Iceland, in Nor- 

 way, in America, in Scotland, and even in the Oriental^ seas, 

 the tufted auk appears confined to Kamtschatka, America, 

 and the Kurile islands. 



Those fraterculse, distinguished by M. Temminck under 

 the name Stauykes, a word of Russian origin (Phaleris), 

 differ little in their habits from the preceding species. The 

 Perroquet Auk, Lath., (fratercula or alca psittacula,) in- 

 habits Kamstchatka, the islands towards Japan, and the west 

 shores of America. These birds are so stupid, that the 

 natives catch them in the evening, on their return to shore, by 

 merely waiting for them, enveloped in loose garments of fur, 

 with open sleeves, into which these auks run for shelter. 

 This kind of capture is, however, of small value, for their 

 flesh is blackish and very hard, and the down cannot be 

 removed without tearing away the skin. The same birds will 

 also suffer themselves, at times, to be taken by the hand, when 

 they drop on shipboard, which sailors consider a presage of 

 bad weather. Like the species before-mentioned, they lay 

 but one egg. 



