350 



B1UTISH BIRDS 



In strange contrast to the guttural croaking and barking cm-* of 

 the adults is the language of the young bird. Its hunger-note is a 

 far-reaching, sandpiper-like cry. clear, tremulous, and musical. Ill 

 imitation of this sound the young bird is called a u:illock\ and it is 

 supposed that the name of guillemot, which is of French origin, is 

 also derived from the young bird's cry. 



Black Guillemot. 

 Uria grylle. 



Plumage sooty black, except a patch on the wing-coverts, which 

 is white with a black bar; bill black ; legs vermilion-red. Length, 

 fourteen inches. 



The black guillemot is much less abundant than the last species. 

 On the south and east coasts it is extremely rare ; its principal 

 breeding- stations are on the west coast of Scotland ; and it also 

 breeds on the north and west coasts of Ireland. It differs greatly 

 from the common guillemot in size, being scarcely more than half 

 as large as that species ; also in colouring, the whole plumage, except 

 a broad white patch on the wing, being glossy black, the legs and feet 



bright red. It breeds in the 

 same situations as the com- 

 mon guillemot, but is not 

 so gregarious ; and in its 

 nesting-habits it resembles 

 the razorbill, laying its eggs 

 in a hole or cranny in the 

 rocks, or beneath a rock on 

 the soil. Two eggs are laid, 

 in ground-colour white, or 

 pale stone, or pale green, 

 spotted and blotched with 

 brown and grey. The young 

 FIG. 119. LITTLE AUK. natural size, are covered with a greyish 



black down, and their first 

 plumage is mottled black and white. 



The black guillemot frequents the seas in the vicinity of its 

 breeding-station throughout the year. 



