This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1886 edition. Excerpt: ...in length. The Pribylof Group, Saint Mathew's Island and Saint Lawrence Island are also great breeding places of these Puffins. Their nests are placed on the ledges of the highest cliffs of those islands where foxes are found, and on islands where foxes are not found these birds breed generally at the ...
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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1886 edition. Excerpt: ...in length. The Pribylof Group, Saint Mathew's Island and Saint Lawrence Island are also great breeding places of these Puffins. Their nests are placed on the ledges of the highest cliffs of those islands where foxes are found, and on islands where foxes are not found these birds breed generally at the bases of bluffs, under the large rocks which have become detached and fallen down. Their nest is composed of just whatever happens to be there, be it sticks, stones, or earth. A few feathers may be dropped from the bird, but not for an evident purpose of nest construction. A single egg of clear white color is laid on the bare gravel or earth. The egg is very large for the size of the bird, and when cooked is tolerable eating. The bird sits long at a time on the egg, and does not leave it until hunger compels her to seek food. Their food is composed of mollusks of various kinds, a few shreds of certain sea-weed fronds, and larvse, which are abundant on some of these sea-weeds. The young leave the nest before being able to tiy. The parent assists them to the water; and, should they have been reared on the face of a high bluff, the old bird catches the young one by the wing and they flutter at a long angle to the water. The old bird endeavors to keep under the young one. I have seen them drop their young accidentally and cause great consternation of the parent, which could'not check her flight immediately, but returned and showed great solicitude by turning the young one over and over in the water to see if it was injured. During severe storms the young are taken to the lee of some reef or islet until the waves become quiet. Early in the morning these birds quit the shores and go out to sea to hunt their food. Late in the afternoon they return....
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