44 ALCAD.E. 



pointed, compressed ; upper mandible sligiitly curved near the point, with a 

 small indentation or notch in the edge on each side. Nostrils basal, lateral, 

 concave, pierced longitudinally, partly closed by a membrane, which is also 

 partly covered with feathers. Feet short, placed behind the centre of gravity 

 in the body ; legs slender, feet with only three toes, all in front, entirely 

 webbed. Wings short, first quill-feather the longest. Tail short. 



The birds of this genus, and of the Alcadee in general, 

 bear considerable resemblance to the Divers both in form and 

 habits ; they are oceanic birds that can swim and dive well, 

 and in this way obtain small fishes of various sorts, or still 

 smaller Crustacea, as food. 



The Common Guillemot, or Foolish Guillemot, as it is 

 frequently called, is one of the best knoAvn of the species, 

 and may be seen in the tide-way of the open sea all round 

 our coast at any season ; but as their numbers are there dis- 

 persed over an extensive surface, these birds are best ob- 

 served during their breeding-season, when they assemble by 

 hundreds, or thousands more frequently, on many of the 

 most extensive and highest rocks and cliffs that bound our 

 sea-girt islands. 



About the beginning of May the Common Guillemots, 

 with many other species of birds, frequenting rocks at that 

 season, to be hereafter described, converge to particular 

 points, where, from the numbers that congregate, and the 

 bustle apparent among them, confusion of interests and lo- 

 calities might be expected; but on the contrary, it will be 

 found that the Guillemots occupy one station, or line of 

 ledges on the rock ; the Razorbills another ; the Puffins a 

 third ; Kittiwake Gulls a fourth ; Avhilst the most inac- 

 cessible pinnacles seem to be left for the use of the Lesser 

 Black-backed and the Herring Gulls. Two distinct species 

 scarcely ever breed close by the side of each other. 



The Common Guillemot lays only a single egg, but this 

 is of large size, and very variable in colour, scarcely two 

 being found precisely alike, but generally of a fine bluish- 



