PLATE II 

 COMMON GUILLEMOT. Uria troile 



June 7///, 1895. The single egg of the Guillemot depicted in this Plate 

 was photographed on a slope of whitewashed rock far down on the north 

 side of the Bass Rock, and was reached with great difficulty, a heavy camera 

 being a serious impediment in climbing without a rope. At this part of 

 the Bass Rock there is a large colony of Guillemots on flat ledges, two or 

 three birds generally occupying the same ledge. These ledges are some two 

 hundred feet above the sea. 



The egg photographed was the only one I could get near enough to, to 

 obtain a good result, as the rocks were wet and very slippery. The old bird 

 allowed me to get within ten feet of her, but flew off when I was placing my 

 camera. To any one who has witnessed the manner of the Guillemot's descent 

 from its ledge to the sea, the idea of their carrying down their young must 

 seem absurd ; not only do they fly down in so perpendicular a path that no 

 young bird could rest on their backs, but their legs and tail are both spread 

 out for steering purposes, so that they could not be used for holding the 

 young one. 



I was much amused to see the careful way in which the old bird poked 

 her egg between her legs on arriving from feeding, and settled herself for a 

 quiet snooze with her head tucked into the feathers on her back. I watched 

 several of the young birds being fed by the parents on the ledges below, only 

 my head being visible to them. The old bird disgorged the fish half-digested 

 on the ledge and fed the young one with small pieces, apparently ramming 

 each piece well down with its bill, while the young one gurgled with 

 satisfaction. 



VOL. ii. x 77 



