544 ALCID.E. 



THE THICK-BILLED GUILLEMOT. 



URIA BRUNNICHII. 



Bill stout, angular, very broad at the base, shorter than the head, bluish black : 

 the lower half of the upper mandible edged with whitish ; upper plumage 

 black ; the secondaries tipped with white ; under plumage white. Length 

 nearly eighteen inches. Eggs unknown. 



LITTLE is known about the habits of this bird, which 

 differs mainly from the common species in the shortness 

 and stoutness of the bill. It is said to be abundant in 

 the Arctic Regions during summer, but rarely migrates so 

 far south as the British Isles. 



THE RINGED GUILLEMOT. 

 URIA LACRYMANS. 



General plumage the same as Uria Troile ; eye encircled by a narrow white ring, 

 from which a line of the same colour extends towards the neck. Eggs blue or 

 green, blotched and streaked with black. 



THE difference between this species and the Common 

 Guillemot is very slight. It is said to be abundant in 

 the neighbourhood of Iceland, where its habits are the 

 same as those of its congener, except that it fixes its breed- 

 ing station lower down on the rocks. It has been observed 

 on both sides of the English coast, in company with the 

 Common Guillemot ; and may probably be more abun- 

 dant than it is commonly supposed to be ; it being im- 

 possible to discriminate between them except by close 

 inspection. 



