BRITISH BIRDS. 
169 
it adjoining to the head is fmooth, and of a fine lead 
coloured blue ; the other part, to the tip, red : the 
noftrils are placed in long narrow flits, near the edge 
of the bill : the comers of the mouth, when clofed 
are curioufly puckered, and form a kind of fmall 
ftar, or rofe : the eyes are protected by fmall cal- 
lous protuberances, both above and below : the 
edges of the eye-lids are crimfon : irides grey : the 
chin and cheeks are white, bordered with grey, the 
latter much puffed up with feathers, which makes 
the head look large and round. From behind the 
corner of each eye, the feathers are curioufly fepa- 
rated, forming a narrow line, which reaches to the 
hinder part of the head: the crown of the head, 
hinder part of the neck, and upper part of the plu- 
mage are black, and a collar of the fame colour en- 
circles the neck : the under parts are white : the 
tail confifls of fixteen feathers : the legs are reddifh 
orange. 
The Puffin, like others of the fame genus, takes 
wing with great difficulty, and walks upon the 
whole length of the leg and foot, with a wriggling 
aukward gait. In tempefluous weather it takes 
Ihelter in caverns and holes in the nearefl rocks, 
or in thofe made by the rabbit on the beach, among 
the bent grafs, in which it fits dofing, in fnug fe- 
curity, till the return of calm weather ; for thefe 
birds cannot brave the fliorm, and it is not uncom- 
mon, when they have been overtaken by it, to find 
VoL, II. t Y 
