290 HABITS OP GUILLEMOTS. 



the legs, which are short and thick, are inserted very- 

 far back, and give a still more erect carriage to the 

 bird when on shore. The wings are short and small 

 in proportion to the bulk of the body, and in one or 

 two species so small as to be unfitted for flight. In 

 this, and other respects, there is an obvious resem- 

 blance between this group and the Penguins of the 

 southern hemisphere, in which the deficiency of wing, 

 and fish-like motions and habits, are carried to their 

 greatest extent. The Alcadae of the north may, in- 

 deed, be taken as the representatives of the Penguins 

 (Spheniscidce) of the south. The Common or Foolish 

 Guillemot ( Uria troile) is met with at all seasons. In 

 breeding-time these birds congregate by hundreds and 

 thousands on the rocks that they frequent, which, for 

 the time, they and their associates convert into populous 

 bird-cities. Nor are these bird-cities limited to single 

 species. In May, when they begin to congregate, Guil- 

 lemots, Auks, Eazor-bills, and Puffins, as well as Gulls, 

 visit the rocks in vast troops, and then begin such a 

 hubbub and flutter that you would think there was 

 going to be a fierce contest for the nesting-ground. 

 But, after much debate, the matter is amicably settled, 

 and the rock portioned out in ledges, one above another, 

 to the different kinds. Here each lays its solitary egg, 

 on the bare rock, or with very little protection ; and 

 on these eggs the birds sit, with fearless fidelity for 

 the allotted time, in their peculiar erect posture. The 

 name "foolish" is given to the Guillemots because, whilst 

 hatching, they will rather suffer themselves to be taken 

 by the hand than desert their charge. A rock thus 



