108 BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



cock, cock, cock. Local and other names: Gorcock, 

 Moorfowl, Moorcock, Moorgame. A close sitter, 

 resorting to decoy methods when disturbed. 



GROUSE, SAND. 



Although several great invasions of this species 

 have from time to time taken place, and the bird has 

 during its latest, in 1888, bred with us, it has no 

 rightful claim for inclusion at length in this work. 



GUILLEMOT, COMMON. 



Description of Parent Bird. Length about 

 eighteen inches. Bill rather long, straight, sharp- 

 pointed (which easily distinguishes the bird from 

 the Razorbill), and black. Irides dusky. Head, 

 neck, back, wings (except ends of secondaries, which 

 are tipped with white), and tail dark mouse-brown. 

 Lower part of throat, breast, and belly white. 

 Legs and feet, which are webbed, brownish-black. 



The female is rather smaller than the male. 



Situation and Locality. On ledges and in 

 hollows of cliffs, on the flat, bare summits of rock- 

 stacks in suitable places pretty generally round our 

 coasts. Our illustration shows a great number of 

 these birds sitting on their eggs at the Fame 

 Islands. The rock was so thickly covered with 

 them that whenever a new-comer flew up out of 

 the sea it was obliged to drop in the middle and, 

 so to speak, elbow its way in. The birds kept 

 up an incessant chattering, and how they ever 

 recognise their own eggs I can't imagine. 



