408 DIVERS. 



and when released, instead of flying away, they hurry again 

 into the burrow to their cherished young. 



The Puffin, essentially aquatic in its nature and habits, 

 makes no great progress in the air, taking wing with difficulty ; 

 and it walks on the whole length of the leg and foot with a 

 wriggling, awkward gait. In tempestuous weather these birds 

 seek shelter in caverns, the holes of the nearest rocks, in their 

 burrows, or in the rabbit-holes on the beach, in which they 

 doze till the return of calmer weather. Though accustomed to 

 the severest cold, they are unable to brave the storm, and when 

 overtaken by it are often drowned and cast dead on the shore. 

 Their food consists of various kinds of small fish, particularly 

 sprats, the smaller kinds of crabs, shrimps, and sea-weeds ; and 

 it is not improbable but that their sudden migrations are regu- 

 lated by the presence or absence of certain kinds of fish on 

 which they delight to feed. They are exceedingly rank in 

 flavor ; yet the young, preserved with spices and pickled, are 

 by some people much admired. They are even potted at St. 

 Kilda and elsewhere, and sent to London as rarities. 



Though pertinacious in attachment to their favorite breed- 

 ing-places, they have sometimes been known to desert them in 

 a yery unaccountable manner. At the great Isle of Arran, 

 Galway Bay, in Ireland, the stupendous cliffs to the southwest 

 of the island, which from time immemorial had been the place 

 of resort, or rather the natural habitation, of such numbers of 

 Puffins as is almost incredible, was at once deserted on the 

 24th of June by the entire species, who thus abandoned their 

 eggs and young and went off to sea. The like incident is said 

 to have happened forty years previous, and no reason could be 

 assigned for this extraordinary dereliction. 



Among the enemies of the Coulternebs is sometimes the 

 piratical Raven, who makes bold to offer battle ; but as soon 

 as he approaches, the defender of the premises catches him 

 under the throat with her beak, and sticks her claws into his 

 breast till he screams out with pain and tries to get away. But 

 the Coultemeb retains her hold, and tumbles him about, till 

 both frequently fall into the sea, where the aggressor is 



