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COMMON OR ARCTIC PUFFIN. 
Mormon arcticus, Linn . 
PLATE CCCCLIV. — Male and Female. 
The Sea Parrot, as this bird is usually called on the eastern coasts of the 
United States, as well as by the fishermen of Newfoundland and Labrador, 
sometimes proceeds as far south as the entrance of the river Savannah 
in Georgia, where I saw a good number of them in the winter of 1831-32. 
It is by no means, however, common with this species to extend its south- 
ward migrations so far, and I suspect it does so only in very severe weather. 
It is never plentiful off Long Island, but becomes more abundant the 
farther you proceed eastward, until you reach the entrance to the Bay of 
Pundy, where it is quite common, and on the islands of which many breed, 
although, not one perhaps now for a hundred that bred there twenty years 
ago. Those which proceed farther north leave the United States about the 
middle of April, and move along the coast, none ever crossing over the 
land to any extent. On my voyage to Labrador I observed Puffins every 
day ; but although we reached that country in the early part of June, none 
had then begun to breed. As we approached the shores of that inhospitable 
land, we every now and then saw them around the vessel, now floating on 
the swelling wave, now disappearing under the bow, diving with the swift- 
ness of thought, and sometimes rising on wing and flying swiftly, but low, 
over the sea. The nearer we approached the coast the more abundant did 
we find the Puffins, and sometimes they were so numerous as actually to 
cover the water to the extent of half an acre or more. At first we paid 
little attention to them, but as soon as I became aware that they had begun 
to breed, I commenced an investigation, of which I now proceed to lay 
before you the result. 
The first breeding place which I and my party visited was a small island, 
a few acres in extent, and pleasant to the eye, on account of the thick 
growth of green grass with which it was covered. The shores were exceed- 
ingly rugged, the sea ran high, and it required all the good management of 
our captain to effect a safe landing, which, however, was at length accom- 
plished at a propitious moment, when, borne on the summit of a great wave, 
we reached the first rocks, leaped out in an instant, and held our boat, while 
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