PUFFIN. 109 



During the love season, the males chase each other in the air, on the 

 water, or beneath its surface, with so much quickness, as to resemble the 

 ricochets of a cannon-ball. Having kept several for about a week, I 

 threw them overboard in the harbour where we were at anchor, and where 

 the water was beautifully clear. On leaving my gloved hand, they 

 plunged through the air, entered the water, and swam off, assisting them- 

 selves by their wings to the distance of from fifty to an hundred yards. 

 On coming up, they washed their plumage for a long time, and then dived 

 in search of food. While on board, they ran about from the dark towards 

 the light, keeping themselves erect, and moving with great briskness, un- 

 til at times close to my feet, when they would watch my motions like 

 hawks, and if I happened to look towards them, would instantly make 

 for some hiding-place. They fed freely and were agreeable pets, only 

 that they emitted an unpleasant grunting noise, and ran about incessantly 

 during the night, when each footstep could be counted. When on rocky 

 shores, or islands with large stones, I observed that the Puffins often flew 

 from one crag or stone to another, alighting with ease, and then standing 

 erect. 



The young, while yet covered with down, are black, with a white patch 

 on the belly. Their bills do not acquire much of the form which they 

 ultimately have for several weeks ; nor do they assume their perfect shape 

 for years. I have examined many hundred individuals, among which I 

 have found great dififerences in the size and form of the bill. In fact, the 

 existence of this diversity has induced many persons to think that we have 

 several species of Puffin on our coasts ; but, after having examined many 

 specimens in Europe, I am decidedly of opinion that this species is the 

 same that occurs in both continents, and that we have only one more at 

 all common on our eastern coasts. The sexes differ in no perceptible de- 

 gree, only that the males are somewhat larger. When two years old they 

 may be considered of their full size, although the bill continues to grow 

 and acquires furrows, until it becomes as you see it in the Plate. 



Alca arctica, Linn. Syst. Nat. voL i. p. 211. — Lath. Iiid. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 792. 

 Mormon aecticus, Ch. Bonaparte, Synopsis of Birds of the United States, p. 430. 

 Puffin, or Coulterneb, Nuttall, Manual, vol. ii. p. 542. 



Adult Male in summer. Plate CCXIII. Fig. 1. 



Bill about the length of the head, nearly as high as long, exceedingly 



