406 THE PUFFIN. 
The upper surface of this bird is black, except a patch of pure white round 
and in front of the eye and the ends of the seconduries, which are white. 
The whole of the under surface is white, and in winter the chin and throat 
are also white. The total length of the bird is thirty-two inches. 
THE odd little PUFFIN, so common on our coasts, is remarkable for the sin- 
gular shape, enormous size, 
and light colours of its beak, 
which really looks as if it 
had been originally made for 
some much larger bird. Ow- 
ing to the dimensions and 
shape of the beak it is often 
called the SEA PaRRoT, or 
the COULTERNEB. 
The Puffin can fly rapidly 
and walk tolerably, but it 
dives and swims supremely 
well, chasing fish in the 
water, and often bringing 
out a whole row of sprats at 
a time ranged along the side 
of its bill, all the heads being 
within the mouth and all the 
tails dangling outside. It 
breeds upon the rocks and 
in the rabbit-warrens near 
the sea, finding the ready- 
made burrows of the rab- 
bit very convenient for 
GREAT AUK.—(Alca impennis.) the reception of its eggs, 
and fighting with the 
owner for possession of the burrow. Where rabbits do not exist, 
the Puffin digs its own burrow, and 
works hard at its labour. The egg is 
generally placed several feet with- 
in the holes, and the parents 
defend it vigorously. Even the raven 
makes little of an attack, for the 
Puffin grips his foe as he best 
can, and tries to tumble into the 
sea, where the raven is soon drown- 
ed, and the little champion re- 
turns home in triumph. The egg 
is white, but soon becomes 
stained by the earth. The food 
of this bird consists of fish, crus- 
taceans, and insects. 
The top of the head, the back, 
and a ring round the neck are 
black, and the cheeks and under 
surfaces are white. The beak is 
curiously striped with orange upon 
bluish grey, and the legs and 
toes are orange. The length of : . 
this bird is about one foot, CRESTED GREBE.—(Hodiceps cristatus.) 
