ALCADE. 549 
seen this done, though I have seen young birds in 
the water that certainly could not have flown down, 
and a fall from the height at which the eggs are 
usually placed would be fatal to the young birds, 
even if they fell into the water, but in many instances 
they would fall on the hard rocks or stony beach. 
After the breeding season the Guillemots spread 
themselves all over our seas in search of fish, on 
which they live almost entirely. On the south coast 
of Devon, when the sprats and herrings are about, 
both Guillemots and Razorbills collect in consider- 
able numbers; indeed a shoal of herrings or sprats 
collects immense multitudes of birds, various sorts 
of Gulls, Gannets, Divers, Cormorants and others, 
as well as the present species, making a most lively 
and animated scene, which I have often watched 
with the greatest interest, many of the birds being 
so bold that they will come nearly within arm’s 
length of the boat; some of the more wary ones, 
however, creeping off as the boat approaches. The 
chase of a Guillemot is by no means such an arduous 
undertaking as that of a Northern or Redthroated 
Diver, for although a quick and easy diver it does 
not disappear under water in the same wonderful 
manner, nor does it dive so far. On the wing it goes 
at a great pace, but pretty straight, so the only diffi- 
culty in shooting it is to shoot far enough a-head. 
The bill of the Guillemot is sharp and pointed, of 
a dark colour, nearly black; irides very dark brown ; 
