64 DISPOSITION TO SECURE A TERRITORY 



make it conspicuous. For example, there is a 

 well-marked variety of the Common Guillemot, 

 the Ringed or Bridled Guillemot of science, 

 distinguished by an unusual development of 

 white round the eye and along the furrow 

 behind it. One such individual I was fortunate 

 in discovering upon a crowded cliff, and, as in 

 the case of the Lapwing with the broken 

 leg or the Yellow Bunting with the injured 

 foot, the identity of the bird was beyond dis- 

 pute, and one could observe that it appropriated 

 to itself a particular position upon a particular 

 ledge. 



Guillemots and Razorbills return at intervals - 



to the breeding stations early in the season, and 



these visits are repeated with growing frequency 



until the birds are finally established. I have 



witnessed these periodic returns during March 



in the south of England, and during April in 



the north-west of Ireland, and I am informed 



that in the latter district such visits may occur 



as early as February. Gatke, who had ample 



opportunity of observing the birds in Heligoland, 



puts their return at an even earlier date. " They 



visit their breeding places," he says, " in flocks 



of thousands at the New Year, often even as 



early as December, as though they wanted to 



make sure of their former haunts being well 



preserved and ready for their reception." Such 



visits, however, are irregular in occurrence ; the 



birds arrive, and, after spending a short time 



upon the ledges, disappear. And since there is 



not the same evidence in their coming and going 



