BRUNNICH'S GUILLEMOT. 423 



Birds ' it is stated that Sir J. C. Eoss found the species at Unst, 

 in Shetland, as well as " in several parts of Scotland," but no other 

 localities are given. Mr Macgillivray likewise states that he found 

 a specimen among some skins from Orkney belonging to Mr 

 Wilson, janitor of the Edinburgh University. Mr A. G-. More 

 mentions (Ibis, 1865) that a specimen was obtained by the late Sir 

 William Milner in Sutherlandshire; and Messrs Baikie and Heddle 

 state that it has occurred once or twice in Orkney. 



I have a specimen of this bird now before me, which was pre- 

 served by a bird stuffer at Hamilton, and said to have been obtained 

 on the west coast of Scotland, and from the smooth appearance of 

 the webs of the toes, I should imagine it must have been set up 

 when in a fresh state, relaxed skins being readily distinguished by 

 the shrunk appearance of the membranes. 



The following curious circumstance in connection with the 

 breeding quarters of this guillemot, is narrated in ' Nature ' for 

 April 27, 1871: "The western gull (Larus ocddentalis) is very 

 abundant on the whole coast of California, especially on the 

 Farrallone islands, where it is a serious hindrance to the men em- 

 ployed in collecting the eggs of the murre (Una BrunnicMi) which 

 breeds there in countless numbers. The traffic in their eggs be- 

 tween these islands and San Francisco alone reaches annually the 

 sum of between one and two thousand dollars. The egg-hunters 

 meet at one o'clock every day during the season (from May to July) 

 with the exception of Sundays and Thursdays, and at a given 

 signal, so that each may have an equal chance in gathering the 

 spoil, start off for the most productive egging grounds. The gulls 

 understanding, it would seem, what is to occur, hover overhead, 

 awaiting the advance of the men, who rush eagerly into the 

 rookeries. The affrighted murres have scarcely risen from their 

 nests, before the gull, with remarkable instinct, flying but a few 

 paces ahead of the hunter, alights on the ground, tapping such 

 eggs as the short time will allow before the egger comes up with 

 him. The broken eggs are passed by the men, who remove only 

 those which are sound. The gull, then returning to the field of 

 its exploits, procures a plentiful supply of its favourite food. Dr 

 Heermann says that he once saw three gulls scientifically approach 

 a single murre sitting on her egg. Two of them feigning an attack 

 in front, the murre raised herself to repel them; instantly the 

 third, advancing from the rear, seized her solitary egg from be- 



