22 8 
NATURAL HISTORY 
the under parts of the body are also white. The tail is 
about two inches long. 
These are simple birds and easily taken. They gene 
rally join companies with other birds, and breed on the 
inaccessible rocks, and steep cliffs, in the Isle of Man, 
and likewise in Cornwall; on Prestholm island, near 
Beaumaris in the isle of Aeglesey; also on the Fern isl- 
and, near Northumberland, and in the cliffs about Scarbo- 
rough, in Yorkshire; and several other places in England. 
They lay exceeding large eggs, being full three inches 
long, blunt at one end and sharp at the other, of a sort 
of bluish colour, spotted generally with some black spots 
or strokes. 
The lesser guillemot weighs about sixteen ounces.— 
The upper parts of its plumage are darker than those of 
the former species. The black guillemot is entirely 
black, except a large mark of white on the wings. In 
winter, however, this bird is said to change to white; and 
there is a variety in Scotland not uncommon, which is 
spotted, and which has been described under the name 
of the spotted Greenland dove. The marbled guillemot, 
which is found at Kamtschatka, &c. received its name 
from its plumage, which is dusky, elegantly marked with 
white. 
Puffin. (PI. 38.) The puffin is about twelve inches in 
length; the eyes are ash-coloured or gray; the upper part 
of the head and body are black; the lower parts white; it 
has a sort of black ring that encompasses the throat; the 
sides of the head are whitish, with a cast of yellow, 
or ash-colour; the wings are made up of short feath- 
ers, and are very small; they fly swift while they 
keep near the surface of the water, on account, of 
wetting their wings as they proceed. They have 
black tails, about two inches long; their legs and feet 
are of an orange colour, and their claws of a dark 
blue. 
The bill is flat: but, very different from that of the 
duck, its edge is upwards. It is of a triangular figure, 
and ending in a sharp point; the upper chr*p bent a little 
