COMMON AND BRUNNICH'S GUILLEMOTS. 397 



ornithologist who has been accustomed to estimate the eggs of the 

 Guillemot by the Farnc-Island standard, and afterwards visits Flam- 

 borough, is the extraordinary beauty and variety of colouring in the eggs 

 found at the latter station. Not only are the colours more varied, but 

 they are decidedly more brilliant. This may be owing to the fact that at 

 the Fames the eggs are all open to a careful selection by the collector, who 

 only takes the richest and handsomest eggs ; whilst at Flamborough, from 

 the extreme inaccessibility of the birds' laying-plaecs, the finely marked 

 eggs have as much chance of coming to maturity as the plainer ones. At 

 the Fames a bird laying a handsome egg has rarely a chance of bringing 

 it to maturity, and hence has no means of transmitting its extraordinary 

 beauty to posterity. When eggs resemble Razorbill's in colour they are 

 creamy white when held up to the light instead of green. They vary in 

 length from 3*5 to 3*0 inch, and in breadth from 2*0 to 1'85 inch. An 

 abnormally large egg measures 3*7 by 3'3 inch, whilst small eggs are 

 accidentally found of almost any size down to that of a Pigeon^s egg. 



Upon the Bass Rock, in the Firth of Forth, the Guillemot also breeds 

 in considerable numbers, but in far more inaccessible situations than at 

 the Fames. The eggs are deposited upon the ledges of the rocks and in 

 the fissures, sometimes close together, at other times alone. I have taken 

 a great many of the eggs of this bird, and obtained them from all parts of 

 the cliffs, yet I cannot remember ever finding an egg in such a situation 

 that it could easily be rolled off into the sea below. The supposition that 

 the egg of the Guillemot is so formed as to turn round on its own axis, 

 instead of rolling over the rocks, is a mere fanciful theory. No doubt the 

 eggs of the Guillemot will turn on their axis to a surprising extent ; but 

 there is no reason to think that they depend thus for their safety, or that 

 this coincidence is in any way connected with the conditions under which 

 the Guillemot's eggs reach maturity. The eggs are placed in crevices of 

 the rocks, in the hollows, and amongst the rugged interstices, where they 

 lie comparatively safe. The birds, however, should they be hurriedly 

 disturbed from their eggs, frequently dash them over the rocks in their 

 eagerness to leave them. I have often been amused, when exploring the 

 cliffs for the eggs of this bird, to see an old Guillemot pushing her egg 

 from under her feet as we approached, previous to quitting the rocks for 

 the sea beneath; and it is very probable the birds thus carefully leave 

 their eggs Avhen they do so of their own free will. The Guillemot usually 

 sits with its back to the sea, thus hiding its conspicuous plumage from 

 view ; but when disturbed the birds turn round and make ready for quitting 

 the ledges. By noticing which way the birds are sitting, a pretty good 

 idea may be gained of the number of eggs. 



The manner in which the young Guillemot safely reaches the sea from 

 its lofty birthplace has given rise to much controversy and dispute. That 



