A BIRD BURROWER— THE PUFFIN. 53 



A BIRD BURROWER— THE PUEEIN. 



A HOME-MAKER AND A HOME-TAKER. 



Birds are not as easily adapted by nature for bur- 

 rowers as arc mammals. Althougb a considerable 

 number of species live in caves and holes of different 

 sorts, tbere are few true burrovsrers among them. 

 Some, like the kingiisher, will make over and alter 

 and adapt a deserted burrow to suit its convenience. 

 But even the sand martin, perhaps the only winged 

 creature that invariably excavates its ovni tunnels in 

 the earth, though capable of sinking her shaft in 

 sandstone hard enough to turn the edge of a knife, 

 never fails to select the lightest and most easily pene- 

 trated soil or sand for her purpose. 



One of the bird burrowers is the queer little 

 puffin. She has, however, not the slightest objection 

 to taking advantage of the labors of others. If, for 

 instance, she has a fancy for a dwelling already occu- 

 pied by a rabbit and her family, she walks in without 

 knocking and evicts the owner with small ceremony 

 but considerable violence, using her powerful bill as 

 a weapon with such effect that Mrs. Rabbit and fam- 

 Oy are not apt to stand long on the order of their 

 going, but to go at once and set at work to dig an- 

 other burrow. Having obtained possession of the 

 premises by the oldest and most inalienable of rights 

 — that of might — Mrs. Puffin does some excavating 

 on her own account, and makes such additional gal- 



