RINGED GUILLEMOT. 463 



But M. Temminck, in his fourth part already cited, fur- 

 ther says : " M. Thienemann, qui a egalement parcouru 

 1'Islande et le Nord, dans le but d'etudier les productions 

 de ces contrees, est d'avis que ces oiseaux forment trois 

 especes distinctes ; il indique meme des differences con- 

 stantes dans la couleur des oeufs." In reference to the 

 value of the opinion of M. Thienemann, I can quote that of 

 Mr. Proctor of Durham, who, having visited the breeding- 

 stations of these birds at Iceland, agrees with him pre- 

 cisely. 



I am indebted to Mr. Proctor, the subcurator of the 

 Durham University Museum, for the opportunity of ex- 

 amining specimens of these three Guillemots, all brought 

 from Iceland, and obtained at the same time. Mr. Proc- 

 tor went to Iceland to collect birds, and on inquiring for 

 the Ringed Guillemot, was told by fishermen that they 

 knew the bird very well, and that it would be found 

 breeding at Grimsey, an island about forty miles north 

 of Iceland. An arrangement to visit Grimsey was made, 

 and on reaching the island the species of Guillemots 

 were found then breeding on the different rocks, and 

 were considered by the inhabitants of the island to be 

 distinct species. Brunnich's Guillemot was the most nu- 

 merous, and was called by them Stutnefia. The Common 

 Guillemot was the next in order of quantity, and was 

 called Langnejia, The Ringed Guillemot was the least 

 numerous, and its name was Hringlangnefia. The eggs of 

 all the three species were obtained, and the distinctions 

 between them well known to these fishermen, who sepa- 

 rated them, when put together, without difficulty or hesi- 

 tation. The eggs of the Ringed Guillemot were the most 

 rare, not so much on account of the smaller number of the 

 parent birds, as from the circumstance of these birds breed- 

 ing away from the others, far lower down on the rocks, 



