the half next the point is red, that next the base is blue gray. It has three furrows or grooves impressed in it; one in the livid part, two in the red. The eyes are fenced with a protuberant skin, of a livid colour; and they are gray or ash coloured.

The Puffin, like all the rest of this kind, has its legs thrown so far back, that it can hardly move without tumbling. This makes it rise with difficulty, and subject to many falls before it gets upon the wing; but as it is a small bird, when it once rises, it can continue its flight with great celerity

All the winter these birds are absent, visiting regions too remote for discovery. At the latter end of March, or the beginning of April, a troop of their spies or harbingers come and stay two or three days, as it were to view and search out their former situations, and see whether all be well. This done, they once more depart; and, about the beginning of May, retnrn again with the whole army of their companions. But if the season happens to be stormy and tempestuous, and the sea troubled, the unfortunate voyagers undergo incredible hardships; and they are found, by hundreds, cast away upon the shores, lean and perished with famine.

The Puffin, when it prepares for breeding, which always happens a few days after its arrival, begins to scrape out a hole in the ground, not far from the shore; and when it has penetrated some way into the earth, it then throws itself upon its back, and with its bill and claws thus burrows inward, till it has dug a hole with several windings and turnings, from eight to ten feet deep. It particularly seeks to dig under a stone, where it expects the greatest security. In this fortified retreat it lays one egg; which, though the bird be not much bigger than a pigeon, is the size of a hen's.

Few birds or beasts will venture to attack them in their retreats. When the great sea raven comes to take away their young, the Puffin boldly opposes him. Their meeting affords a most singular combat. As soon as the raven approaches, the Puffin catches him under the throat with its beak, and sticks its claws into its breast, which makes the raven, with a loud screaming, attempt to get away; but the little bird still holds fast to the invader, nor lets him go till they both come to the sea, where they drop down together, and the raven is drowned: yet the raven is but too often successful; and, invading the Puffin at the bottom of its hole, devours both the parent and its family. The LITTLE AUK is still less than the puffin, being not above the size of a blackbird.

Of the birds of this genus, the TUFTED AUK is one of the most curious. It is somewhat bigger than the puffin, and is distinguished by a tuft of feathers, four inches in length, which arises over each eye, and falls elegantly on each side of the neck. It is found at Kamtschatka.

The CRESTED AUK is perhaps still more remarkable, having its head adorned with a crest, composed of long feathers, and which curves forward over the bill. This bird inhabits the islands contiguous to Japan. Besides these, there are the PARROQUET and DUSKY AUK, and some other species of less note.

THE GUILLEMOT

Is nearly allied to the preceding genus, but it wants the characteristic bill, which in this genus is slender, strong, and pointed.

The largest species with which we are acquainted is the FOOLISH GUILLEMOT, which weighs about twentyfour ounces, and is seventeen inches in length. The bill is black, and three inches in length. The head, neck,

back, wings, and tail, are of a deep mouse colour; the tips of the lesser quill feathers, and all the under parts of the plumage are white. They accompany the auk in its visit

to the northern shores, and are such foolish birds that they will not quit the rock, though they see their compan

ions killed around them.

The LESSER GUILLEMOT weighs about fifteen ounces. The upper parts of its plumage are darker than in 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 Mr. Edwards has described under the name of the spotted Greenland Dove. The MARBLED GUILLEMOT, which is found at Kamtschatka, &c. receives its name from its plumage, which is dusky, elegantly marbled with white.

THE DIVER GENUS

INCLUDES about seven species. The great NORTHERN DIVER, or LOON,* weighs sixteen pounds, and measures

*This bird is found along the American shores, and are said to win

three feet six inches in length. The bill is strong, black, and above four inches in length. The head and neck are velvet black, with a white crescent immediately under the throat, and another behind. The upper parts of the plumage are also black, spotted with white, and the breast and belly perfectly white. This bird is found in all the northern parts of Europe, and feeds on fish. It breeds 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 Anglesey; also on the Fern Island, near Northumberland, and in the cliffs about Scarborough, in Yorkshire; and several other places in England. The Northern Diver lays exceedingly large eggs; being full three inches long, blunt at one end, and sharp at the other, of a sort of bluish colour, generally spotted with some black spots or strokes. It flies high and well.

The IMBER is less than the preceding, but still larger than a goose. The upper parts of the plumage are in general dusky; the under parts silvery white. It is very common in the Orkneys. The skins of both these species are so remarkably tough, that in some of the northern countries they have been used as leather.

The SPECKLED DIVER is more common in the southern parts of Europe. It is called on the Thames the Sprat Loon. It weighs about two pounds and a half; and has the upper parts of the body dusky spotted with white, the breast and belly white. It is so confident of its skill in diving, that it often approaches very near the boats when fishing for sprats or herrings.

The BLACK-THROATED DIVER has the fore part of the

ter at Chesapeake Bay. In the summer, they retire to the fresh water lakes, and they are reported to breed in the New England States. In winter, they migrate to the southern States.-Wilson.

throat black, the back and wings of the same colour spotted with white; the head and neck ash colour, and the breast and belly white. This bird is common in the northern regions, but seldom found in France or England.

The RED-THROATED DIVER differs chiefly from the preceding in having the throat and part of the neck of a fine red; the upper parts of the body also are dusky, marked with a few white spots. It is seldom found to the south of Scotland.

Of the foreign birds of this species, the CHINESE Diver is the only animal worth notice. The upper parts of the plumage are of a greenish brown; the under parts a reddish white, marked with dark spots. This is generally supposed to be one of the birds which the Chinese train up for the purpose of fishing, of which we shall have occasion to treat further when we speak of the corvorant.

THE TERN.*

Or the Tern there are about twenty-three different species, which are all distinguished by one common characteristic, viz. the forked tail.

THE GREAT TERN

Is about fourteen inches long, and weighs four ounces and a quarter. The bill and feet are a fine crimson: the former is tipped with black, and very slender. The back of the head is black; the upper part of the body a pale gray,

* Turton enumerates twenty-five species, six of which are natives of the United States. They are known to the people residing on the sea shore, by the name of Sea Swallows, and some of them are confounded with the Gulls. Our Great Tern is the same as that of Europe. The Lesser Tern is also the same in both countries.-Wilson.