PUFFIN. 179 
Famiry ALCIDA. 
PUFFIN. 
FRATERCULA Arctica, Linn. 
Pl. XXIX,, fig. 1. 
Geogr. distr.—Northern portions of Europe, breeding as far north 
as the coasts of France, and in winter straggling down to the shores of 
N. Africa; Atlantic coasts of N. America. In Great Britain it is not 
uncommon, though more frequent in the north than the south. 
Food,—Fish, Mollusca, Crustacea, and Alge. 
Nest.—If any, consisting only of a small quantity of grass, in a hole 
two or three feet deep. 
Position of nest.—On tolerably high turf-covered table-land, on 
cliffs overhanging the sea, in crevices of rocks, or in deserted rabbit- 
burrows. 
Number of eggs.—1. 
Time of nidification.—V-VI. 
Respecting the distribution of the Puffin in the United 
Kingdom, Mr. Seebohm remarks :—‘‘ The Puffin is one of 
the best known of British sea-birds, and is found in all 
suitable localities along the entire coast-line of our islands 
during summer. In rocky districts it is much more 
numerous than on low-lying coasts, and it is especially 
abundant at Lundy Island, Priestholm, off the coast of 
Anglesey, the Isle of Man, the Hebrides (especially St. 
Kilda), the Orkneys, Shetland, and the Farne Islands. It 
is also equally common on the Irish coasts.’ —(Hist. Brit. 
Birds, vol. iv., p. 364.) 
Speaking of the breeding of this species in an island 
in Norway, Hewitson says:—‘‘The island, which sloped 
gradually upward from the edge of the water to the base of 
a lofty cliff, was entirely covered with large fragments of 
rock piled upon each other in the wildest confusion, and 
under them vast numbers of these birds were breeding. 
Many thousands were passing in rapid flight around us, 
and thousands more were underneath our feet; as we 
stumbled onwards we could distinctly hear them as we 
passed over their heads, croaking and gabbling to each 
other, and no doubt complaining of our intrusion.” —(III. 
Eggs Brit. Birds, vol. ii., pp. 408-9.) 
