Sea ^ Shore Birds 



136 



To have the roof of one's house on one's head like 

 that, and a great beetle-crusher into the bargain, must 

 be most trying. 



If you peep in amongst the crevices of the rocks 

 where the puiEns, and perhaps some guillemots also, 

 are talking to each other in grunts, and guttural ex- 

 clamations, which sound like " aw — aw — aw," you will 

 see a comical " pufF " with his head on one side, and 

 his leery eye cocked at you, as much as to say, " Who 

 on earth are you ? I can't say I altogether admire you." 



And if you put your hand down a hole, at the end 

 of which a puffin is sitting, doesn't he let you know it ? 



His brilliantly-decorated summer bill has un- 

 commonly sharp edges. 



But the fun is to take a seat upon a soft tussock of 

 thrift and watch the puffins' habits and manners. 



All around you are their burrows, out of which, 

 here and there, they toddle. 



They are rather like little Japanese people. A big 

 parrot-bill appears at the entrance, followed by the 

 owner, in dapper black coat, white waistcoat, and 

 scarlet shoes, looking very much like a little fussy old 

 gentleman who is going out to dinner in London, and 

 who can't get a cab. Mr. Puff runs out, looks round, 

 thoroughly on the fuss, squints at you for a moment, 

 and toddles indoors again. 



One almost hears him muttering to himself as he 

 goes — " I shall be late, I know I shall." Under such 

 circumstances he rather reminds one of the White 

 Rabbit in " Alice in Wonderland." 



I expect Mr. and Mrs. Puff take turns in warming 



