LIFE HISTORIES CF NORTH AMERICAN DIVING BIRDS. 91 
Nesting.—The puffin is a social bird and nests ‘in colonies. One of 
the largest breeding colonies remaining at the present time is on 
Parroquet Island off the southern coast of Labrador near Bradore. 
Here the birds burrow into the friable soil and utilize crannies among 
the rocks for their nests. Of a similar, but smaller, colony at Bald 
Island off the middle of the southern coast of Labrador, I have made 
a more intimate study. Here in June, 1909, we found about 150 
pairs breeding. The island is formed of limestone with a flat surface 
of several acres of loose, dark soil on which stood and lay a forest 
of dead stalks of the cow parsnip (Heraclewm lanatum). The new 
leaves were just beginning to push up from the ground at the time 
of our visit on the 8th and 9th of June. In this loose soil, but chiefly 
under the large fragments of rocks that were partly embedded in the 
surface, were the nesting burrows of the puffins. Most of these 
nests in the burrows under the large rocks were just beyond the 
reach of the arm, extended to full length in the hole, but a few were 
accessible, as their length was little more than 2 feet. The holes 
in the loose soil were generally about 30 inches long, often curved 
and descending at a slight angle to a few inches or a foot below the 
surface. Frazar (1887) says of the burrows at Wolf Island, southern 
Labrador, that: 
They are seldom over 4 feet deep and generally take an abrupt curve near 
the opening and run along usually near the surface of the ground. Several 
that I opened curved in such a way that the nest, which is an enlarged cavity 
at the end of the burrow, with a'little straw laid on the bottom, was exactly 
under the entrance and only a thin crust of soil between the two. 
Sometimes several burrows communicate and a single one may have 
two openings. In walking over a field filled with the burrows of this 
bird, one is in constant danger of breaking through into the numerous 
tunnels. At the end of the burrow is the nest, a loose mass of dead 
grass, sometimes with a few feathers, in which rests the single 
egg. In exploring the holes with outstretched arm, we found that 
gloves were very necessary, as the enraged parent bird was capable 
of inflicting considerable damage to the unprotected fingers with her 
keen-edged and powerful bill, and, when seized, she could scratch 
vigorously with her sharp nails. The work of digging the holes 
falls chiefly on the male, and he is at times so intent upon this work 
as to suffer himself to be taken by the hand. The inner toenail on 
each foot is well adapted for the digging process, as it is strong, 
curved, and sharp, and the other toenails are but little inferior. 
Eggs—Only one egg is laid, asa rule. Frazar (1887) found, in a 
colony of a thousand pairs at Cape Whittle, 12 burrows, each con- 
taining two eggs. The egg is rounded ovate in shape, and generally 
a dull white when first laid, but it soon becomes soiled. A few eggs 
are spotted with concealed chocolate markings, while some have dis- 
