GUILLEMOTS 33 



other small mollusks or feeding on surface swimming crusta- 

 ceans and occasionally small fish. Those I have observed 

 during the breeding season so engaged were very tame and 

 unsuspicious, allowing one to approach as closely as was indeed 

 safe for the boat on account of the rough surf. In fall when 

 the species is found in the quieter and inner waters of the 

 coast they are much more cautious. The nest is merely a slight 

 hollow in the sand under a rock pile on the shore well above 

 high tide limit. Occasionally a few mussel shells are arranged 

 as a lining to the nest, while many eggs are laid on the bare 

 rock, but always far back under the seawall of boulders so as 

 to be seen and reached with some difficulty. The parent bird 

 usually remains on the nest until removed by hand. Both 

 sexes take turns in the work of incubation, and on incubating 

 birds there may usually be found two bare spots in the very 

 dense down on the breast which would seem to indicate that 

 this is purposely removed by the birds so that the eggs may be 

 better warmed against the flesh. This down, if so removed, 

 never seems to be used to line the nest. 



Two eggs are usually laid, sometimes only one and still 

 more rarely three. Their color is white, sometimes with a 

 pale greenish or bluish tinge, and they are always very hand- 

 somely spotted and blotched with brown, lilac and lavender. 

 Many eggs are boldly wreathed with these markings about 

 the larger end, others are spotted boldly over their entire 

 surface, while again others show only faint suffused lilac mark- 

 ings. The nesting season is from about June 12 to July 

 4th, and the incubation period is very close to three weeks. 

 The path used by the parents in going into the nest under the 

 rocks may often be detected by observing the bits of feathers 

 and down, droppings and other indications which in time 

 make a trail quite easily followed. The young are born 

 covered with down and remain hidden among the rocks until 

 fairly well grown. Two eggs from Little Duck Island, taken 

 June 20, 1896, measure 2.24 x 1.58 and 2.23 x 1.57, while two 



