7" 



COMMON GUILLEMOT. 

 Lomvia troile (L.). 



Resident, breeding in vast numbers on the cliffs of the Flamborougb 

 and Bempton range ; arrives there in March and April, and leaves with, 

 its young in August. Many remain off the coast throughout winter. 



The first notice of the Guillemot in Yorkshire was by 

 Willughby, who stated that " In Yorkshire, about Scarborough 

 it is called a Skout .... moreover this bird frequents and 

 builds on .... the cliffs about Scarborough in the summer 

 months .... Mr. Johnson [of Brignall] hath observed 

 these birds to vary somewhat in colour, some having black 

 backs, some brown or gray ; perchance these may be Hens,, 

 those Cocks " (Will. " Orn." 1678, pp. 324-5). 



Thomas Allis, in 1844, referred to it thus : — 



Uria troile. — Common Guillemot — Common on the coast. A. Strick- 

 land says they breed in countless numbers on the Flamborough cliffs. 



The most remarkable and interesting feature of the 

 stupendous range of cliffs extending from the Headland of 

 Flamborough westward to Speeton, a distance of five or six 

 miles, and varying in height from 250 feet to 350 feet, is the 

 great " loomery ' or breeding station of the Guillemot, a species 

 that is found there in the nesting season in such vast quantities 

 as to be practically innumerable. 



It may be termed a resident of Yorkshire, spending most 

 of the year on the open sea off the coast, and returning for 

 short visits to the cliffs about Christmas or early in January, 

 and, in some seasons, not till February ; in igoi it did not 

 put in an appearance until the nth of the latter month. 

 These visits become more frequent, and of longer duration, 

 as spring advances, generally taking place at high water 

 and in calm weather, when, at times, the birds congregate as 

 thickly on some of the ledges as in summer, but are quiet 

 and undemonstrative. On 12th March 1900 there were 

 thousands at Buckton Cliffs, where they were clustering like 

 bees on the breeding ledges, and were in lull summer plumage. 



VOL. II. z 



