4o8 
DIVERS. 
and when released, instead of flying away, they hurry again 
into the burrow to their cherished young. 
1 he Pufifin, essentially aquatic in its nature and habits, 
makes no great progress in the air, taking wing with difficulty ; 
and it walks on the whole length of the leg and foot with a 
wriggling, awkward gait. In tempestuous weather these binis 
seek shelter in caverns, the holes of the nearest rocks, in their 
burrows, or in the rabbit-holes on the beach, in which they 
doze till the return of calmer weather, d'hough accustomed to 
the severest cold, they are unable to brave the storm, and when 
overtaken by it are often drowned and cast dead on the shore. 
Iheir food consists of various kinds of small fish, particularly 
sprats, the smaller kinds of crabs, shrimps, and sea-weeds : and 
it is not improbable but that their sudden migrations are regu- 
lated by the presence or absence of certain kinds of fish on 
which they delight to feed. They are exceedingly rank in 
flavor ; yet the young, preserved with spices and pickled, are 
by some people much admiretl. They are even potted at St. 
Kilda and elsewhere, and sent to London as rarities. 
Though pertinacious in attachment to their favorite breed- 
ing-places, they have sometimes been known to desert them in 
a very unaccountable manner. At the great Isle of Arran, 
Galway Bay, in Ireland, the stupendous cliffs to the southwest 
of the island, which from time immemorial had been the place 
of resort, or rather the natural habitation, of such numbers of 
Puffir.s as is almost incredible, was at once deserted on the 
24th of June by the entire species, who thus abandoned their 
eggs and young and went off to sea. The like incident is said 
to have happened forty years previous, and no reason could be 
assigned for this extraordinary dereliction. 
.Among the enemies of the Coulternebs is sometimes the 
piratical Raven, who makes bold to offer battle ; but as soon 
as he approaches, the defender of the premises catches him 
under the throat with her beak, and sticks her claws into his 
breast till he screams out with pain and tries to get away. But 
the Coulterneb retains her hold, and tumbles him about, till 
both frequently fall into the sea, where the aggressor is 
