ii6 Allen's naturalist's library. 



individuals which match the Western American ones in every 

 respect, and I do not consider that the two races can be 

 separated. 



Habits. — Although the Guillemot returns to its breeding 

 stations in vast numbers in the summer, I believe that there are 

 many individuals that do not breed at all, for I have seen 

 plenty of them in June at least one hundred miles from land, 

 swimming about in the middle of the sea, and resting on the 

 water in the laziest manner. In calm weather they even sleep 

 in the middle of the summer's day, so that on more than one 

 occasion the bow of the steamer was upon them ere they 

 hurriedly woke up and dived to a safer distance. 



I quote Seebohm's account of the habits of the Guillemot 

 on the Fames. He had in his possession some beautiful 

 paintings of the bird-life on these islands, and the journals 

 of his visits to this locality were always very interesting 

 reading. He describes the nesting of the Guillemot as 

 follows : — 



" For the greater part of the year the Guillemot's haunt is 

 the open sea ; but in the breeding season it retires landwards to 

 its favourite cliffs and rocky islets. A nursery of these birds 

 presents one of the most interesting phases of bird-life. 

 Whether it be the brave old headland cliffs of Flamborough 

 Head and Bempton, the curious ' Pinnacles ' at the Fames, 

 the rugged coasts of Wales, the innumerable nurseries on the 

 Scottish rocks and islets, or a ' fuglevoer ' among the Norwegian 

 Fjords — all possess abundant attractions for the naturalist, and 

 well repay repeated visits. 



" So soon as the breeding-season has passed, even before the 

 young birds have fully gained the use of their wings, the 

 Guillemots forsake the cliffs and spend the rest of the year upon 

 the open sea. A rocky shore is now no more attraction to them 

 than a low and sandy one, and they may be frequently seen in 

 the sea off such low-lying coasts as those of Lincoln and Norfolk. 

 The Guillemot is to some extent a migratory bird, but is, 

 perhaps, better described as a wandering one, straying hundreds, 

 even thousands, of miles from its breeding-place and its true 

 home. Certain it is, we know on good authority, that the birds 

 are never seen on the cliffs at Flamborough or at the Fames for 

 several months after the young are reared. On Heligoland the 



