632 CLASS AVES. 



note communicated to him by Scopoli, tells us that they are 

 to be seen upon the coasts of Italy. They are very common 

 on those of Norway, of Iceland, of the Feroe islands, at 

 Spitzbergen, Kamtschatka, Terra Nuova, at Nootka, and 

 on the northern coasts of America and Asia. These birds, 

 whose wings are fit only for a feeble flight, and one of short 

 duration, on the surface of the arctic seas, rather employ them 

 to accelerate their motions on the water when in pursuit of 

 fish, of marine insects, of crabs, and other Crustacea, which 

 constitute their food. It is also by the assistance of these 

 short wings that they clear the projecting edges of rocks, or 

 jump from point to point, to the precipitous situations in 

 which they build their nests. Though accustomed to the 

 most rigorous cold, and often seen upon the floating islands of 

 ice, yet, as they can find subsistence only in an open sea, they 

 are forced to migrate in cases of complete frost. They then 

 descend along our coasts and those of Holland and France, 

 where families have been known to remain and establish 

 themselves among the rocks. 



The Foolish Guillemot (Colymbiis Troile), wliich, during 

 the greatest portion of the year, inhabits the arctic seas of 

 both worlds, descends in winter along the borders of the 

 Baltic sea. It is found on many parts of the English coast 

 during summer, but does not so frequently appear in Holland 

 or France. These birds assemble in large flocks, and con- 

 struct their nests in the clefts of rocks, where the female lays 

 some eggs of a greenish blue, more or less spotted with 

 black. They are pointed at one end, and very large in pro- 

 portion to the size of the bird. 



The Block Guillemot inhabits the same countries as the 

 preceding species. In winter, it is only a bird of passage 

 along the shores of the Great Ocean, and is very rarely indeed 

 seen in inland seas and lakes. These birds fly generally in 

 couplesj shaving the surface of the sea very closely, and 



