CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 1 93 



CASE 38. 



THE BLACK GUILLEMOT. 



Order, Pygopodcs Fmnily, Alcid(2. 



This species is not nearly so abundant as the 

 Common Guillemot. At one time colonies used to 

 exist on our east coast, but they don't seem to be 

 in evidence there now ; in fact the only locality in 

 our British Islands where these birds may be said to 

 be fairly plentiful are the west coast of Scotland 

 and the adjacent islands that lie off that coast. 



My own experience of this species has been 

 entirely confined to the Inner and Outer Hebrides; 

 and even there I cannot say that I have seen them 

 in any great number. 



Their nesting-habit is very much the same as that 

 of the Razor Bill, i.e., crevices and cracks of the 

 cliffs, or underneath rocks, but there is this difference 

 in these birds and the rest of the Auk family, in that 

 they lay two eggs instead of one, the ground-colour 

 of which is white slightly tinged with green or blue, 

 and spotted with ash-grey and several shades of 

 brown ; they are large for the size of the bird. 

 Booth, from his practical study of the habits of the 

 Black Guillemot, noticed that it was much better 

 able to use its legs and feet than the Common 

 Guillemot. In his "Catalogue" he says: "I was 

 much surprised when I met with this species to find 

 that it could walk and even run with the ofreatest 

 ease. It is also capable of rising from level 

 ground." 



