ARCTIC PUFFIN. 



39 



they appear on those coasts in the beginning of 

 April ; and they immediately commence the opera- 

 tion of forming burrows in the earth for their young 

 ones. This task is usually allotted to the males, who 

 are so intent on the business, as to suffer themselves, 

 at that time, to be taken with the hand. They some- 

 times dislodge the Rabbits from their holes, and save 

 themselves the trouble of forming one of their own. 



The females lay one whitish-coloured egg upon the 

 bare ground in their burrows, and the males assist in 

 the office of incubation. The young ones are hatched 

 in the beginning of July : the parents are very atten- 

 tive to them, and will defend them to the last, by 

 severely biting whatever enemy attempts to molest 

 them, and will suffer themselves to be taken rather 

 than desert them : and yet, notwithstanding this 

 uncommon attachment, when the day of migration 

 arrives, the young which are not able to fly are left 

 behind, and mostly perish by want, or are destroyed 

 by birds of prey. 



The food of these birds is sprats, sea-weeds, small 

 crabs, shrimps, &c., which makes them excessively 

 rank : yet the young are pickled and preserved with 

 spices, and by some people are much admired. 



Their bite is very severe. Bewick mentions that 

 one sent to him in a box covered with netting caught 

 hold of the finger of a man, and brought away the 

 fleshy part, as if it had been cut out with a knife. 

 They may be easily tamed, and soon become familiar : 

 in this state they feed upon fish, and other animal 

 substances. 



