L. 

 URIA TROILE. (latham.) 



Common or Foolish Guillemot, Tarrock. 



No eggs are subject to a more singular and distinct variety 

 than those of the Common Guillemot figured in the Plate — 

 a variety so remarkable and striking, that no one, unless well 

 acquainted with them, would believe them to be the eggs of" 

 the same species. The white varieties have, in consequence, 

 long been, and are still, by many, considered as those of the 

 Kazor-bill, which they certainly resemble most closely in ge- 

 neral appearance, although readily known by their being 

 much narrower and more pointed at the smaller end, and by 

 their greater length. 



The two varieties figured, are of about equal occurrence ; 

 the white one much less frequently assumes the linear mark- 

 ings than the blue one, indeed, both of them are, for the most 

 part, spotted only, many, much more so throughout, than 

 Fig. 1 of the Plate ; others inclining to green rather than blue, 

 whilst one, which I have seen, is altogether white. 



The Guillemot is an exceedingly abundant bird at most of 

 the breeding places of sea-fowl upon our coast, animating the 

 otherwise sombre and silent rocks, and covering with its bril- 

 liantly-coloured eggs the ledges of the perpendicularcliffs which 

 dip into the sea. At the Fern islands they occupy a rock or 

 stack (as such rocks are very appropriately called) which stands 

 apart from the islands, and cover it so completely that at a short 

 distance they have the appearance of a stratum of the stone ; 

 upon this the eggs are so close together that it is exceedingly 

 difficult to move amongst them ; the top of the rock is of a 

 pure white from their dung, and upon this they have a pecu- 

 liarly beautiful appearance. At a short distance is a low flat 

 rock which a host of Cormorants have appropriated to their 



