AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



19 



BLACK GUILLEMOTS ON GREAT AND LITTLE DUCK ISLANDS. ME. 



As our little launch sped along, her sharp prow cutting the dense 

 fog, splashes were heard and occasionally dark forms were seen rapidly- 

 winging their way through the gray gloom. It was only when one 

 individual perhaps confused by the noise of the engine, allowed the 

 boat to nearly run him down that we w^ere able to see the white patches 

 on the wings and identify the birds. 



GUILLEMOTS NESTED UNDER THE ROCKS NEAR THE TREES. 



We found that a large colony, numbering several hundred birds, were 

 securely entrenched on the northeastern side of Great Duck Island. 

 Here the shore was very rugged and boulders and granite blocks were 

 piled in confusion above the water line. We spent a day in watching 

 and photographing the Guillemot here. Upon our approach they all 

 left the rocks and lined up abreast about fifty yards out from shore, 

 where they sat watching our movements with shrill wails of alarm. 



We selected a rift in the rocks near the water, into which we crawled 

 and covered the top with our tent cloth and seaweed. They soon 

 seemed to forget our presence and those in the water swam ashore 

 while others flew in and alighted on the slippery weed-covered rocks. 



