266 
DIVING AND BURHOWING. 
foot and heel, and in consequence walk with a waddling gait, 
but they fly rapidly for a moderate distance, and are most 
expert swimmers and divers. Macgillivray says, ^ They sit 
lightly on the Avater, swim with celerity, turn about with great 
smartness, dive headlong, and fly under water in pursuit of 
small fishes and Crustacea, or betake themselves to the 
bottom in search of moUusca. The form of the bird is 
admirably adapted for this sort of pastime.' 
Now let us northward set our sail, 
And scud before the favouring gale, 
AVhere by lone Man the racing tide 
Euns swift, and on its southern side 
That islet stands, by dweller known 
None save the ocean tribes alone ; 
And they the burrowing race, whose lair 
Usurped the tribes of ocean share. 
There may slie pause, and see them spring, 
Waked by the morn on clanging wing, 
And darken, as with yell and scream 
They wheel around, the orient beam : 
But chiefly note the Puffin sheer 
O'er the scarce dimpled wave career, 
And fly at once, and run and swim, 
With wing and foot and pendent limb, 
And scarcely in the water dip 
The unwet web or pinion's tip ; 
A compound motion, undefined 
As gliding on against the -wind 
With restless course the livelong day 
They forage for their watery prey. 
