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THE PUFFIN. 



Mormon arcticus, Illiger. 



PLATE CCXIII. Male and Female. 



The Sea Parrot, as this bird is usually called on the eastern coasts 

 of the United States, as well as by the fishermen of Newfoundland and 

 Labrador, sometimes proceeds as far south as the entrance of the River 

 Savannah in Georgia, where I saw a good number in the winter of 

 1831-32. It is by no means, however, common with this species to 

 extend its southward migrations so far, and I suspect it does so only 

 in very severe weather. It is never plentiful off Long Island, but be- 

 comes more abundant the farther you proceed eastward, until you reach 

 the entrance to the Bay of Fundy, where it is quite common, and on the 

 Islands of which many breed, although not one perhaps now for a hun- 

 dred that bred there twenty years ago. Those which proceed farther north 

 leave the United States about the middle of April, and move along the 

 coast, none ever crossing over the land to any extent. On my voyage 

 to Labrador I observed Puffins every day ; but although we reached 

 that country in the early part of June, none had then begun to breed. 

 As we approached the shores of that inhospitable land, we every now 

 and then saw them around the vessel, now floating on the swelling wave, 

 now disappearing under the bow, diving with the swiftness of thought, 

 and sometimes rising on wing and flying swiftly, but low, over the sea. 

 The nearer we approached the coast the more abundant did we find the 

 Puffins, and sometimes they were so numerous as actually to cover the 

 water to the extent of half an acre or more. At first we paid little atten- 

 tion to them, but as soon as I became aware that they had begun to breed, 

 1 commenced an investigation, of which I now proceed to lay before you 

 the result. 



The first breeding place which I and my party visited was a small 

 island, a few acres in extent, and pleasant to the eye, on account of the 

 thick growth of green grass with which it was covered. The shores were 

 exceedingly rugged, the sea ran high, and it required all the good ma- 

 nagement of our captain to effect a safe landing', which, however, was at 

 length accomplished at a propitious moment, when, borne on the summit 



