THE PUFFIN AUK. 



Goldsmith's observations. 



like the efforts of a dumb person attempting 

 to speak. 



" The constant depredation \vhich these birds 

 annually suffer, doe,s not in the least seem to in- 

 timidate them, or drive them away : on the con- 

 trary, the people say, the nest must be robbed, 

 or the old ones will breed there no longer. All 

 birds of this kind lay but one egg; yet if that 

 be taken away, they will lay another, and so on 

 to a third : which seems to imply, that robbing 

 their nests does not much intimidate them from 

 laying again. Those, howeevr, whose nests have 

 been thus destroyed, are often too late in bring- 

 ing up their young; who, if they be not fledged 

 and prepared for migration when all the rest de* 

 part, are left at land to shift for themselves. In 

 August the whole tribe is seen to take leave of 

 their summer residence; nor are they observed 

 p,ny more till the return of the ensuing spring. 

 It is probable that they sail away to more south- 

 ern regions, as our mariners frequently see my- 

 riads of water-fowl upon their return, and steer- 

 ing usually to the north. Indeed the coldest 

 countries seem to be their most favored retreats; 

 and the number of water-fowl is much greater in 

 those colder climates, than in the warmer regions 

 near the line. The quantity of oil which abounds 

 in tbeir bodies, serves a? a defence against cold, 

 and preserves them in vigour against its severity; 

 but the same provision of oil is rather detrimental 

 in warm countries., as it turns rancid, and many 



