Ingested elastic and other artifacts found in puffins in Britain over a 24-year period

In 1969-1970 the numbers of puffins (Fratercula arctica) nesting in Britain and Ireland were found to be much reduced compared to previous years. Coincidentally, lengths of elastic were recovered from the stomachs of puffins shot off Norway or found dead in eastern Britain, and the ingestion of such pollutants was considered a possible causative factor in the decline of the puffin. The latter authors noted that further studies were underway to assess the frequency of occurrence of elastic in puffins. This contribution reports on artifacts found between 1969 and 1992