1883.] 407 [Brewster. 



face of the cliff, often a hundred feet or more above the water. As 

 we approached the place only a few were visible, living about 

 over the sea or standing erect on the ledges. But the first re- 

 port of our guns brought dozens tumbling from their nests. 

 Their manner of descending from the higher portions of the cliff 

 was peculiar. Launching into the air with heads depressed and 

 wings held stiffly at a sharp angle above their backs they would 

 shoot down like meteors, checking their speed by an upward turn 

 just before reaching the water. In a few minutes scores had col- 

 lected about us. They were perfectly silent and very tame, pass- 

 ing and repassing over and by us, often coming within ten or 

 fifteen yards. On such occasions their flight has a curious resem- 

 blance to that of a Woodcock, but when coming in from the fish- 

 ing-grounds they skim close to the waves, and the wings are 

 moved more in the manner of a Duck. 



The Puffin in life, or when freshly killed, is one of the hand- 

 somest of the Alcidae. Its sharply contrasted black and white 

 plumage sets off the vivid coloring of the bill and legs to advan- 

 tage, and its form is trim and shapely. The eye, however, is small, 

 flat, and dull, expressing only what seems to be one of the bird's 

 prominent characteristics : viz., viciousness. Not only will the 

 wounded birds bite sharply if incautiously taken up, but when sev- 

 eral are placed togetner they vent their rage freely on one another. 

 This amiable trait seems to be developed at a very tender age. 

 Three young, which I obtained at Perroquet Island, and which 

 could not have been more than a few days old, were put in a box 

 for safe keeping and carefully covered with some boards. A few 

 hours afterwards I uncovered them when, to my surprise, I found 

 one lifeless, but still bleeding from numerous wounds, while the 

 other two were fighting on his prostrate body. They clung to 

 each other with the tenacity of bull dogs, and I had great diffi- 

 culty in separating them; when this was accomplished they 

 proved to be nearly worthless as specimens, the downy covering 

 of their bodies having been stripped off in patches and the 

 skin torn in many places. Rather curiously I do not remember 

 seeing these birds quarrel when at liberty. Perhaps, as with 

 certain individuals of the human species, the disagreeable side of 

 their nature is only shown under adversity. 



