238 



COMMON OR ARCTIC PUFFIN. 



Mormon arcticus, Linn. 

 PLATE CCCCLIV— Male and Female. 



The Sea Parrot, as this bird is usually called on the eastern coasts of the 

 United States, as well as by the fishermen of Newfoundland and Labrador, 

 sometimes proceeds as far south as the entrance of the river Savannah in 

 Georgia, where I saw a good number in the winter of 1S31-32. It is by no 

 means, however, common with this species to extend its southward migra- 

 tions so far, and I suspect it does so only in very severe weather. It is 

 never plentiful off Long Island, but becomes more abundant the farther you 

 proceed eastward, until you reach the entrance to the Bay of Fundy, where 

 it is quite common, and on the islands of which many breed, although not 

 one perhaps now for a hundred that bred there twenty years ago. Those 

 which proceed farther north leave the United States about the middle of 

 April, and move along the coast, none ever crossing over the land to any 

 extent. On my voyage to Labrador I observed Puffins every day; but 

 although we reached that country in the early part of June, none had then 

 begun to breed. As we approached the shores of that inhospitable land, we 

 every now and then saw them around the vessel, now floating on the 

 swelling wave, now disappearing under the bow, diving with the swiftness 

 of thought, and sometimes rising on wing and flying swiftly, but low, over 

 the sea. The nearer we approached the coast the more abundant did we 

 find the Puffins, and sometimes they were so numerous as actually to cover 

 the water to the extent of half an acre or more. At first we paid little 

 attention to them, but as soon as I became aware that they had begun to 

 breed, I commenced an investigation, of which I now proceed to lay before 

 you the result. 



The first breeding place which I and my party visited was a small island, 

 a few acres in extent, and pleasant to the eye, on account of the thick 

 growth of green grass with which it was covered. The shores were exceed- 

 ingly rugged, the sea ran high, and it required all the good management of 

 our captain to effect a safe landing, which, however, was at length accom- 

 plished at a propitious moment, when, borne on the summit of a great w r ave, 

 we reached the first rocks, leaped out in an instant, and held our boat, while 



