41 



will be among the things of the past ; for though to a stranger the 

 eggs seem so abundant, the inhabitants represent them as few com- 

 pared with the myriads of former years. 



179. L. Delawarensis. Ring-billed Gull. Common during migrations. 



180. Chrcecocephalus atricella. Laughing Gull. Given as breeding 

 b*y Boardman. 



181. Chrcecocephalus Philadelphia. Bonaparte's Gull. Common in 

 autumn. 



182. fiissa tridactyla. Kittiwake. Common in winter but does not 

 breed, which is curious, as the cliffs afford most excellent nesting- 

 places. 



183. Pagophila eburnea. Ivory Gull. Winter visitant. 



184. Sterna Wilsoni. Wilson's Tern. Breeds on the Seal islands. 



185. Sterna macroura. Arctic Tern. Rather rare. Others of this 

 family probably occur, but are not recorded. 



COLYMBID^J. 



186. Colymbus torquatus. Loon. Common about the islands, but 

 does not breed. 



187. C. arcticus. Black-throated Diver. Occurs in winter. 



188. C. septentrionalis. Red-throated Diver. Winter resident. 



189. Podiceps griseiyena. Red-necked Grebe. Rather common. P. 

 cristatus and podiceps may occur, as they have been noted at Calais. 



ALCID-ffi!. 



190. Alca torda. Razor-billed Auk. This bird is still common 

 about the Muire rocks and Seal islands, where it breeds without much 

 molestation. A curious circumstance connected with the breeding of 

 this species here is that it never associates with Uria grylle, but is 

 sole occupant of these two places, which seem to afford as advanta- 

 geous nooks and crannies to the Guillemot as to the Auk. The only 

 explanation is that the Razor-bills drive them away. 



191. Alca impennis. Great Auk. Formerly occurred, as bones have 

 been dug from the shell-heaps of Nantucket island, close to Menan. 



192. Uria yrylle. Black Guillemot. Common yet, but is doomed 

 to extinction ; as are all the sea-birds that still haunt these old breed- 

 ing places, each spring seeing fewer birds come back to breed than 

 went away in the fall. 



193. Una lumvia. Foolish Guillemot. Common in winter, but never 

 breeds. 



194. Meryulus alle. Sea-dove. Common winter resident, but none 

 stop to breed. 



ESSEX INST. BULLETIN. v 4 



