28 LITTLE GUILLEMOT. 



that food which in a state of nature, at large, they were abundantly 

 supplied with." 



Genus XC. URIA. GUILLEMOT. 



Species. URIA ALLE. 



LITTLE GUILLEMOT.* 



[Plate LXXIV. Fig. 6.] 



Uria aUe, Temm. Man. d' Orn. p. 928. — Alca alle, Linn. Syst. ed. 12, torn, i., p. 211, 

 5. — Gmel. Syst. I., p. 554, 5. — Ind. Orn. p. 795, 10. — Uria minor, Briss. vi., p. 

 73, 2. — Le Petit Guillemot femelle, PL Enl. 917. — Small black and white Diver, 

 Edwards, pi. 91. — Little Auk, Lath. Gen. Sj/n. in., p 327.— Penn. Arct. Zool. 

 No. 429.— Bewick, ii., p. 158. 



Of the history of this little stranger, but few particulars are known. 

 With us it is a very rare bird ; and, when seen, it is generally in the 

 vicinity of the sea. The specimen from which the figure in the plate 

 was taken, was killed at Great Egg Harbor, in the month of December, 

 1811, and was sent to Wilson as a great curiosity. It measured nine 

 inches in length, and fourteen in extent ; the bill, upper part of the 

 head, back, wings and tail, were black ; the upper part of the breast 

 and hind-bead, were gray, or white mixed with ash ; the sides of the 

 neck, whole lower parts, and tips of secondaries, were pure white : feet 

 and legs black, shins pale flesh color ; above each eye there was a small 

 spot of white ; the lower scapulars streaked slightly with the same. 



The little Guillemot is said to be but a rare visitant of the British 

 Isles. It is met with in various parts of the north, even as far as Spitz- 

 bergen ; is common in Greenland, in company with the black-billed Aux, 

 and feeds upon the same kind of food. The Greenlanders call it the 

 Ice-bird, from the circumstance of its being the harbinger of ice. It 

 lays two bluish white eggs, larger than those of the Pigeon. It flies 

 quick, and dives well ; and is always dipping its bill into the water while 

 swimming, or at rest on that element. Walks better on laud than 

 others of the genus. It grows fat in the stormy season, from the waves 

 bringing plenty of crabs and small fish within its reach. It is not a 

 very crafty bird, and may be easily taken. It varies to quite white ; 

 and sometimes is found with a reddish breast. f 



To the anatomist, the internal organization of this species is deserving 

 attention : it is so constructed as to be capable of contracting or dila- 

 ting itself at pleasure. AVc know not what Nature intends by this con- 

 formation, unless it be to facilitate diving, for which the compressed 



* Named in the plate Little Auk. f Latham. Pennant. 



I 



