THE COMMON GUILLEMOT. 207 



Audubon gives a very full account of this diver, remarking 

 that it is " at all times an extremely shy and vigilant bird, ever 

 on the alert to elude its enemies. The sight of man seems inva- 

 riably to alarm it, even in the wildest countries in which it breeds. 

 I have often observed that while yet several hundred yards from 

 them they marked my approach with great watchfulness" (Orn. 

 Biog. vol. iii. p. 21). They are not by any means so difficult of 

 approach on the Irish coast, though their extreme quickness of 

 sight is very apparent. 



The red-throated diver is about equally common in Ireland, 

 England, and Scotland. 



THE COMMON GUILLEMOT. 



Foolish Guillemot 



Uria troile, Linn, (sp.) 

 Colymhus troile, Linn, (sp.) 



Lesser Guillemot 1 Young and old in 



Una minor, Gmel. (sp.) J winter plumage. 



Breeds at the many suitable marine cliffs around the 

 island : some remain throughout the year. 



At the Gobbins, a range of lofty basaltic cliffs outside the northern 

 entrance to Belfast Bay, a considerable number of guillemots 

 annually breed. They arrive generally in April, but do not lay 

 before the end of May, when their large single eggs, and those of 

 the razorbills, are deposited on the bare rock. In the late season 

 of 1849, they had not commenced laying here on the 2nd of June, 

 when the cKfFs were searched for eggs.* About Carrick-a-rede, 

 near the Giant's Causeway, I observed a number of guillemots in 

 June 1842. At the island of Eathliu, off' this coast, Dr. J. D. 

 Marshall informs us that they " were congregated in very consi- 



* Mr. Poole remarks, in reference to the Wexford coast, tliat lie lias seen their eggs 

 on the 15th of May and 24th of June. 



