ALCID^. 



689 



THE LITTLE AUK. 



INIergulus alle (Linnaeus). 



This species — also called the Rotche or Rotge, names apparently 

 of Scandinavian origin — is a tolerably regular winter-visitor to the 

 northern coasts of the British Islands ; and, though less frequent 

 southward, it occurs as far as the Channel ; while, after stormy 

 weather, examples have been obtained some distance up the Thames, 

 as well as at many places inland. Birds in full' summer-plumage 

 are sometimes observed here ; and on August 5th rSS6 I dis- 

 tinctly saw an adult with its young near the island of Pabbay in the 

 Outer Hebrides, not more than twenty yards from the steamer 

 ' Hebridean.' On the approach of a vessel this bird has a peculiar 

 way of splashing along the surface of the water— as if unable to 

 fly — and then diving through the crest of an advancing wave ; it 

 swims rather deep, and very much " by the stern," as Mr. Abel 

 Chapman has remarked ; so that, apart from its diminutive size, it 

 is easily recognizable. 



During the colder months the Little Auk frequents the North Sea, 

 and the Atlantic as far south as the Azores and the Canaries ; but 

 although resident in Iceland throughout the year, its only breeding- 

 place there appears to be on Grimsey, in the extreme north. On 



3 H 



