240 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Description. 



THE PUFFIN AUK 



IS about the size of a teal, weighing near 

 twelve ounces, and being about twelve inches in 

 length. The eyes are ash-coloured, or grey ; the 

 upper part of the head and body are black ; the 

 lower parts white; it has a sort of black ring 

 that encompasses the throat; the sides of the 

 head are whitish, with a cast of yellow, or ash 

 colour; the wings are made up of short feathers, 

 and are very small: they fly swift while they 

 keep near the surface of the water, on account 

 of wetting their wings as they proceed. They 

 have black tails, about two inches long; their 

 legs and feet are of an orange colour, and their 

 claws of a dark blue. 



The bill is flat : but, very different from that 

 of the duck, its edge is upwards. It is of a tri- 

 angular figure, and ending in a sharp point; the 

 tipper chap bent a little downward, where it is 

 joined to the head : and a certain callous sub- 

 stance encompassing its base, as in parrots. It 

 is of two colours; ash-coloured near the base, 

 and red towards the point. It has three furrows 

 or grooves impressed in it; one in the livid part, 

 two in the red. The eyes are fenced with a pro- 

 tuberant skin, of a livid colour; and they are 

 grey or ash coloured. 



The puffin, like the rest of the auk kind, has 

 its legs thrown so far back, that it can hardly 

 5 



