COMMON GUILLEMOT. 451 



tion or notch in the edge on each side. Nostrils basal, lateral, concave, pierced 

 longitudinally, partly closed by membrane, which is also partly covered with fea- 

 thers. Feet short, placed behind the centre of gravity in the body ; legs slender, 

 feet with only three toes, all in front, entirely webbed. Wings short, first quill- 

 feather the longest. Tail short. 



THE birds of this genus, and of the Alcadae in general, 

 bear considerable resemblance to the Divers both in form 

 and habits ; they are oceanic birds that can swim and dive 

 well, and in this way obtain small fishes of various sorts, or 

 still smaller Crustacea, as food. 



The Common Guillemot, or Foolish Guillemot, as it is 

 frequently called, is one of the best known of the species, 

 and may be seen in the tide- way of the open sea all round 

 our coast at any season ; but as their numbers are there 

 dispersed over an extensive surface, these birds are best 

 observed during their breeding-season, when they assemble 

 by hundreds, or thousands more frequently, on many of the 

 most extensive and highest rocks and cliffs that bound our 

 sea-girt islands. 



About the beginning of May the Common Guillemots, 

 with many other species of birds, frequenting rocks at that 

 season, to be hereafter described, converge to particular 

 points, where, from the numbers that congregate, and the 

 bustle apparent among them, confusion of interests and lo- 

 calities might be expected ; but on the contrary, it will be 

 found that the Guillemots occupy one station, or line of 

 ledges on the rock ; the Razorbills another ; the Puffins a 

 third ; Kittiwake Gulls a fourth : whilst the most inac- 

 cessible pinnacles seem to be left for the use of the Lesser 

 Black-backed and the Herring Gulls. Two distinct species 

 scarcely ever breed close by the side of each other. 



The Common Guillemot lays only a single egg, but this 

 is of large size, and very variable in colour, scarcely two 

 being found precisely alike, but generally of a fine bluish- 



G 02 



