tHE MUFFIN AUK. 24? 



Description of the young Food. 



kind of humming, much resembling that pro- 

 duced by the large wheels used for spinning 

 worsted. On being seized, they emitted this 

 noise with greater violence ; and from its being 

 interrupted by their struggling to escape, it 

 sounded not much unlike the efforts of a dumb 

 man to speak." 



The young ones are entirely covered with a 

 long blackish down ; and in shape are altogether 

 so different from the parent birds, that no one 

 could at first suppose them of the same species. 

 Their bill also is long, pointed, and black, with 

 scarcely any marks of furrows. 



They feed on sprats or sea-weeds, which make 

 them excessively rank ; yet the young are pickled 

 and preserved with spices, and by some people 

 are much admired. 



The re-migration of the puffins takes place 

 about the middle of August; when not a single 

 one remains behind, except the unfledged young 

 of the latter hatches : these are left a prey to the 

 peregrine falcon; which watches the mouth of 

 the holes for their appearance, compelled, as 

 they must soon be, by hunger, to come out. 



The Kamtschadales and Kuriles wear the bills 

 of the puffins fastened about their necks with 

 straps. The priests put them on with a proper 

 ceremony, and the persons are supposed to be 

 always attended by good fortune so long as they 

 retain them there. 



JFrom the observations made by the Rev. 



