Horned and Tufted Puffins

“Fratercula corniculata Horned Masking Puffin. Crown of head grayish-black, narrowing to a point at base of culmen. Sindes of head white; the postocular furrow and sides of lower jaw ashy. A distinct narrow line of white along edge of fore-arm. Entire upper parts glossy blue-black; a sootier shade of black encircling the fore-neck, running forward on throat to bill. Other under parts white, except a few elongated blackish feathers on sides of flanks. Lining of wings pearly-ash. Bill entirely vermilion-red, even the basal collar; edges of eyelids red; excrescences of eyelids bluish-gray; iris brown; feet orange-red, the webs tinged with vermilion; claws brownish-black; rosette of mouth bright yellow-orange. Lunda cirrata. Tufted Puffin. Crests about 4 inches long, straw-yellow, some of the posterior feathers black at base; these bundles of silky, glossy feathers with very delicate shafts and loosened webs; they chiefly sprout from what corresponds to the furrow in the plumage of F. artica. Face white, broadly of this color on sides of head to beyond eyes (as far as the crests), narrowly across forehead and chin, the bill being thus entirely surrounded by white. Crown between the crests, and entire upper parts, excepting the extreme forehead and a line along the forearm, glossy blue-black. Entire under parts, excepting extreme chin, and including sides of hind head and sides of neck, sooty brownish-black, more grayish on the belly, the lining of wings smoky-gray, the under tail-coverts quite black. Wings and tail black, their inner webs brownish-black, the shaft of the primary whitish underneath near base. Bill, feet, and eye-ring vermilion-red; the basil parts of the bill when about to desquamate showing more yellowish or enamel color, or even showing the living color of the subjacent membrane. Rosette of mouth yellow. Claws black.” Elliot Coues, 1884

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