106 THE RINGED GUILLEMOT. 



with his nose he had pressed back the snatch. Now many persons will 

 say this and kindred other illustrations prove something more than instinct. 

 I think not. The display of memory, or any other passion of the mind 

 by the lower creatures, argues they have mind like man, but very widely 

 differing in its powers and construction. Man's mind is naturally reflective, 

 but not that of animals, for this is the limit marking instinct and reason 

 most significantly, and bearing evidence of the Creator's high deed of placing 

 them all under man's control. Thus we discover no discrepancy; all is 

 as it was intended to be, and a perfect law of harmony and order is 

 enacted throughout the manifold regions of animal life. 



The Elms, Birmingham, April 6th., 1857. 



REMARKS UPON THE RINGED GUILLEMOT. 



BY ROBERT GRAY, ESQ. 

 Read before the Natural History Society of Glasgow. 



The history of this bird, whether as a variety of the Common Guillemot, 

 or as a distinct species, appears to be involved in considerable obscurity; 

 any observations which have been yet published about it are certainly far 

 from affording either satisfaction as to its description as a variety, or con- 

 viction respecting its identity as a distinct bird. The various authors who 

 have given it a place in their works have been able to say very little 

 about it; hence any ornithologist who wishes information will find on con- 

 sulting any of them that the account is not only meagre and partial, but 

 in many cases very contradictory. Thus as regards colour, we have the 

 bird described from a mouse-colour to a pure black, and in size from fifteen 

 to nineteen inches' as the total length. From this, however, as I shall 

 afterwards observe, we learn the significant fact that in this case neither 

 colour nor size can be relied upon as specific characters. 



On a slight comparison of all the specimens on the table before you, it 

 will be seen that the Ringed, or "Bridled" Guillemot, as it has been called, 

 differs from the Common Guillemot only in the white line which encircles 

 the eyes, and extends about an inch behind them ; but those writers, whom 

 I shall presently quote, appear to attach some importance to other differences, 

 considered by some as sufficient to remove all doubt of its specific value. 



Sir William Jardine, in his "British Birds," remarks that in colour this 

 bird is intermediate in shade between Una troile and U. Brunnichii, and 

 that the bill is weaker and more slender, the angle of the under mandible 

 being nearly obsolete. The latter feature he illustrates by outlines of the 

 bills of the three birds, a copy of which diagram I have the pleasure to 

 lay before you. He also remarks that he never found the bird at any of 



