COMMON GUILLEMOT. 181 
COMMON GUILLEMOT. 
Lomvia TrRoILE, Linn. 
Pl. XXX. 
Geogr. distr.—Northern portions of Europe and the Atlantic shores 
of N. America, extending further southwards in winter; common and 
resident on all the British coasts, breeding abundantly on the Fern 
Islands, St. Kilda, and other suitable localities. 
Food.—Fish, Mollusca, and Crustacea. 
Nest.—None. 
Position of breeding-place.—On narrow ledges of bare rock, usually 
high above the water. 
Number of eqgs.—l. 
Time of nidification.—V-VI. 
This bird, according to Mr. Cecil Smith, “is very 
common, and resident throughout nearly the whole of 
the English coast, collecting at the various breeding 
stations in the summer, and spreading about in various 
parts of the sea in search of food as soon as the young 
are sufficiently advanced to take care of themselves. At 
the breeding stations they may be seen in thousands, 
some on the water engaged in fishing, and others standing 
in long rows on the rocks, lining every available ridge like 
detachments of skirmishers. 
“The eggs of the Guillemot are placed on the bare ledges 
of the rocks, without any nest, and often in very exposed 
situations, where it seems wonderful they are not blown off 
by the wind, but probably their pear-shape protects them 
from this, as they only run round when moved by the wind. 
“The parents are said to carry their young down to the 
water on their backs, but I have never seen this done, 
though I have seen young birds in the water that certainly 
could not have flown down, and a fall from the height at 
which the eggs are usually placed would have been fatal to 
the young birds, even if they fell into the water.’’—(‘ Birds 
of Somersetshire,’ pp. 547-9.) 
