Sern tan Sih iia ie sea etal

NORTHERN PUFEIN.

Mormon elacialis, Leach.

Le Macareux glacial.

To a superficial observer the Mormon glacialis would appear to present but little difference from the common
species, so plentiful during the breeding-season on many of the rocky coasts of our island; but ona compa-
rison of the two species we feel convinced that our readers will coincide in our opinion, of their being speci-
fically distinct. Its larger size and more powerful bill, which is of a uniform rich orange colour, together
with the greater length of the fleshy appendages over the eyes, will at once serve to distinguish this species
from its near ally the MJormon fratercula.

The Northern Puffin, as its name implies, is almost strictly confined to the ice-bound regions of the arctic
circle, over the whole of which we have reason to believe it is distributed, numerous specimens having been
from time to time brought home from Spitzbergen and Kamtschatka by our navigators on their return from
exploring the boreal regions.

It occurs but rarely in the temperate latitudes, hence both the coasts of America and Europe are only oc-
casionally visited by it; the northern shores of Russia, Lapland, &c. being among the only places in our
quarter of the globe where it may be looked for with certainty.

The sexes do not appear to differ in the colouring of their plumage, which may be thus described :

Crown of the head and occiput light brownish grey tinged with lilac ; collar surrounding the neck, all the
upper surface, wings, and tail brownish black tinged with blue; primaries blackish brown very slightly margined
with paler brown ; sides of the face and all the under surface white ; bill bright orange red; corrugated skin
at the angle of the mouth gamboge yellow ; irides orange red ; irides and horny appendages grey ; legs and
feet orange with the webs paler and the claws yellowish brown.

We have figured an adult of the natural size.

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