545 

 THE BLACK GUILLEMOT. 



URIA GRYLLE. 



Upper plumage black ; middle of the wing and under parts v/hite ; iris brown ; 

 feet red. Length thirteen and a half inches. Eggs whitish grey, blotched and 

 speckled with grey and two shades of brown. 



The Black Guillemot, thougli occasionally met with off 

 various parts of the coast of England, is to be considered 

 as a straggler from the North. In Scotland it is common. 

 Its mode of life, as described by Macgillivray, who was 

 familiarly acquainted with it, differs in no material respect 

 from that of the species already described. It is, however, 

 much smaller, and lays two or sometimes thi'ee eggs. Mac- 

 gillivray says that, on those parts of the coast which 

 it frequents, attempts are often made to rear it in cap- 

 tivity ; but always unsuccessfully. In summer, these 

 birds may be readily distinguished from other sea-fowl, by 

 their blacl^ and white plumage and red feet : the pre- 

 dominant tint of the plumage in winter is white, with a 

 tinge of grey; and in high latitudes the proportion of 

 white increases. 



THE LITTLE AUK. 



MERGULUS MELANOLEUCOS. 



Head and upper parts black ; two bands across the wings ; a spot above the eye 

 and all tlie under parts Avhite. In sumvier the throat and front of the neck 

 are also black. Length about seven inches. Eggs uniform pale blue. 



The Little Auk is essentially a northern sea-bird, and is 

 described by Arctic voyagers under the name of Eotche. 

 It is an indefatigable swimmer, and has considerable 

 powers of flight ; but it does not possess the faculty of 

 diving to the same degree as the Divers and Grebes, as it 

 generally stays but a short time under water. Llence it 

 must find its food near the surface ; and this is supposed 



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