7496 Birds. 



situated that the bird can step from the nest into the water. "Be- 

 tween Tongue and Allreliava, on the 20th May, we procured a fine 

 specimen of the redlhroated diver on a small pool near the road-side. 

 A single egg was deposited close to the water's edge, and on skinning 

 the bird a second egg was found ready for extrusion." — Sir William 

 Miliier (Zool. 2014). 



Materials. It is formed of moss and the stems of aquatic plants. 



Eggs, 2. Olive-green, with black spots. 



Guillemot, Uria troile. 



Situation. On the ledges of sea-cliffs in a great number of stations 

 all around our coasts. I may particularly mention Beachy Head. 

 " Here the egg-collectors frequently obtain twelve or fourteen dozen 

 of guillemot's eggs of a morning, and sell them readily at sixpence 

 each. These men are lowered down the cliff by means of a derrick, 

 which is simply a thick pole, with a wheel in one end of it for the 

 rope to run over, and protruding about two feet from the edge of the 

 cliff: through the other end of the pole a hole is bored, and through 

 this an iron bar is driven firmly into the ground to keep it steady." — 

 Zool. 1193. See also ' Letters of Rusticus.' 



Materials. None : the bird makes no attempt at nest-building, 

 but lays its eggs on the bare rock. 



Egg 1. Very large, and disproportionately large at one end, the 

 other end tapering ; ground-colour bright green or dirty white, 

 blotched with black or black-brown. The young, when hatched, are 

 thickly covered with down, dark above and light beneath : they 

 remain on the rock for some weeks. 



Brunnich's Guillemot, Uria Brunnichii. 



Situation. On sea-clifls in the Island of Soa, one of the St. Kilda 

 group. 



Materials. None. 



Egg, 1. "Bright green, not spotted or blotched, but streaked." — 

 Sir W. Milner. 



Ringed Guillemot, Uria lacrymans. 



Situation. Sea-cliffs at Borrera, one of the St. Kilda group. 



Materials. None. 



Egg, 1. " Bright green, covered with irregular lines of brownish 

 black." — Sir W. Milner. The late Mr. John Wolley, whose un- 

 timely loss all ornithologists sincerely deplore, expressed (Zool. 3477) 

 a very strong opinion that this bird is not distinct from the common 

 guillemot ; and I know of no one more capable of forming a sound 

 judgment on such a point. 



