16 FLAMBOROUGII HEAD. 



Islands,' it is stated: — " On Foula (or Fughloe, or Fowl-Island), one of the 

 Shetlands, it was formerly said of the Foula man — his gutcher (grandfather) 

 guid before, his father guid before, and he must expect to go over the sneug 

 too," — " guid before " standing for " falling over the cliff." 



If a person wishes properly to understand how a Guillemot acts under 

 water, he need not go to Flamborough, or any other place than the Brighton 

 Aquarium. I confess, when I first heard of these birds I did not think it 

 worth while to look at what I supposed I had so often observed at sea. But 

 once there, I soon changed my opinion. The spectator is at the bottom of 

 the water, under the bird ; and the whole body of the diver appears to be 

 in a mass of silver air-bubbles or iridescence ; and a stream of such remains 

 in its track. In swimming it uses its legs, in diving its wings only ; and the 

 motion does not seem rapid — nothing like the rapidity of the several species 

 of Penguin (^Spheniscus^ which I have observed at the Zoological Gardens. 

 The eye can hardly follow Spheniscus demersiis, for instance, as I noted 

 May 31, 1872. This bird takes a fish across. 



During the time of moulting, as is the case with many other birds, 

 the Guillemot is unable to fly. Cf. 'Zoologist,' 1873, 2nd ser. vol. viii. 

 pp. 3454 & 3455 ; here Mr. Cecil Smith, of Lydeard House, Taunton, 

 remarks: — "In September 1871 Mr. Gurney, jun., and myself had a chase 

 after one in the same predicament. ... I have found common Scoters, 

 off Dawlish, in October and November, quite unable to fly." 



In the 'Zoologist,' 1874, 2nd ser. vol. ix. p. 3907, Baron A. von 

 Hiigel calls attention to a "curious habit these birds have of flying 

 through the waves." He says, " I do not know if this has been noticed 

 before." 



