BIRD NESTING. 



97 



fed by the parents, first of all with disgorged food and afterwards 

 with small fish. The bill of the Puffin is very remarkable, and 

 gives the idea of its being able to inflict a severe bite, but its 

 power of doing this has been exaggerated, for during life the edges 

 of the mandibles are somewhat fleshy. A very remarkable cir- 



IHE PUFFIN. 



cumstance has been noticed with regard to the bill of this bird. 

 During life it is yellow at the base, blue in the centre, and almost 

 red towards the extremity. For some reason which is not quite 

 clear, the bill alters in size and colour during the year. In 

 autumn, after the young are reared, the old birds shed the horny 

 covering of the beak in several pieces, and consequently during 



O 



