104 NATURAL IIISTOKY [Birds. 



GENUS XXVIL— THE GUILLEMOTS. 



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Gen. Char. — Bill slender, stiOBg, pointed, the upper mandible slightly bending 

 towards the end, base covered with short feathers; nostrils lodged in a hollow 

 near the base ; tongue slender, almost the length of the bill ; toes, no back toe. 



Species 1. — The Guillemot e. 



G uilleni, Guillemot, Skout, Kiddaw, or Sea-Hen, Wil. Orti, 324. Rail Syn. Av. 

 120. Coljmbus Troile, Lin. Sys. 220. Brit. Zool. 410. Ore. Skout. 



This bird is found with its neighbours in the rocks in great 

 flocks. Like the rest of this kind they lay but one egg, but 

 this is very large and beautiful. 



Those I had brought me fi'om Hoy-head agreed with Mr 

 Pennant's description in every particular, only those I found 

 to be cocks were of a deeper black and clearer white than 

 the others, or females. 



Our rock-men catch vast numbers of these, and salt them 

 for winter or summer provision, but they are all very rank 

 and fishy. Mr Pennant says they are very simple birds, 

 and though shot at, or see their companions drop beside 

 them, they will not quit their station on the rock *. 



* Since writing the above, I have seen several instances of their stupidity in 



