42) BRITISH SEA BIRDS. 
externally, but the shells, when held up to the light, 
have the interior of a clear pea-green tint—a 
character which readily serves to distinguish them 
from such eggs of the Guillemot that resemble 
them in external colour. If the first egg be taken 
the bird will lay another, and this process may be 
repeated several times, but on no occasion is more 
than one chick reared in the season. It is said that 
the young of this species remain upon the cliffs for 
a much longer period than the chicks of the 
Guillemot, and that they eventually fly or flutter 
down to the sea, never revisiting the rocks. The 
parent will sometimes dive with its offspring, just 
as the Little Grebe will do. 
LITTLE AUK. 
This species, the Rotche of Arctic navigators, 
and the Mergulus alle of ornithology, is but an 
irregular visitor to British seas during autumn and 
winter, and as it seldom comes near the land under 
ordinary circumstances, is not a very familiar bird 
to the seaside observer. Exceptionally severe 
weather not unfrequently drives this little bird far 
inland. In its general colouration the Little Auk 
closely resembles the Razorbill, but it is less than 
half the size, and has a considerable amount of 
white on the wings. This curious little species 
congregates in incredible numbers at certain spots 
in the Arctic regions, to breed. Beechey, at the 
beginning of the present century, records that he 
