126 CRITICAL NOTICES OP NEW PUBLICATIONS. 



rence. Of the last-named species, Mr. Hewitson says, that, when 

 in Norway, " we frequently saw pairs of them passing over the 

 country in an evening, and at a great height." 



Uria troile, or Foolish Guillemot. Two eggs of this species are 

 represented, and we think the best that could be well selected. 

 These are brought in considerable numbers to the London markets, 

 and are sold cheap, so that a pretty series of them may be ob- 

 tained at a small expense. Our author has furnished us with a 

 graphic picture of their breeding haunts, which sets one all alive to 

 peruse. We are almost sorry that space will not allow of a full 

 transcription, and are unwilling to mar the effect by copying a por- 

 tion only. It affords more pleasure to refer the reader to the book 

 itself, which we do heartily, promising him delight in the perusal. 



Our next plate has three figures in it, of the Black Guillemot's 

 Qgg, excellently represented, and presenting three somewhat diverse 

 varieties. It appears that this bird's egg is little liable to variation. 

 " Amongst about seventy specimens," says Mr. Hewitson, " I was 

 surprised to find so little dissimilarity : of figures 2 and 3 in the 

 plate — the former of which is a very singular variety — I only met 

 with two of each ; the rest bear the general appearance of figure 1, 

 about one half of them differing from it only in the ground colour 

 being white instead of blue, the spots most commonly smaller, and 

 more regularly disposed; a few are more sparingly, others more 

 closely and minutely marked ; they resemble the eggs of the Razor- 

 bill much more than they do those of the Common Guillemot, both 

 as to shape and character ; so much so, that any one forming a clas- 

 sification of birds from their eggs, which might generally be done 

 with great and admirable accuracy, would, in this instance be led 

 into error." " The Black Guillemot," also says Mr. Hewitson, " is 

 not nearly so expert a diver as the Razorbill or Common Guillemot, 

 and when disturbed usually takes to flight, passing very close to the 

 surface of the water ; it is, however, strong upon the wing, and 

 rises with ease to the precipices where it nestles." We have 

 known it to occur upon the Thames, far beyond London. It differs 

 from the other, also, in always laying two eggs instead of one ; and 

 upon the whole, however externally the characters of these two 

 birds may undoubtedly resemble, we are loth to consider them as 

 physiologically very closely allied. It is said that the former spe- 

 cies takes to the water and follows its parent almost immediately 

 after exclusion, while clad in down ; whereas the young of the 

 Black Guillemot ordinarily remain in the nest till fully grown and 

 able to provide for itself, — quitting the society of its parent when it 

 leaves its natal rock, and associating with other immature birds of 

 its species. 



We have next a most characteristic figure of the egg of the Ra- 

 zorbill Auk, so exactly similar to one of the specimens before us, 

 that we can hardly persuade ourselves it was not drawn from it. 

 It is, the author tells us, " of an intermediate size." 



Then comes the Puffin's egg ; *^ of a dirty white, mostly marked 



