LIFE HISTORIES OF NOBTH AMEBICAN DIVING BIBDS. 16& 



Behavior.— Mr. Ekblaw contributes the following notes on the 

 habits of this species: 



When resting idle and unalarmed on the water, it floats high so that much 

 white of its under parts shows, but when alarmed or ready for a dive it sinks 

 itself and rides low, only its black head and back showing. From this low posi- 

 tion it dives most easily, like a flash, and with but very little commotion. It 

 dives readily and fast, using its wings to help its feet in propelling itself; it 

 dives so quickly at gunfire that it seems often to evade the shot fired at it from a 

 distance, in this respect resembling the murre, which seems even quicker, how- 

 ever. While swimming about it has the peculiar habit of nervously moving its 

 head backward and forward. It is less shy than most other sea birds, both on 

 the cliffs and in the leads or pools, or on the open sea, apparently trusting and 

 unafraid, undisturbed by the proximity of man. This apparent confidence is 

 quite different from the shyness of the guillemot farther south in Danish Green- 

 land where it is practicaly unapproachable. 



A flock of guillemots contentedly feeding in a pool or lead is a pleasant sight ; 

 sometimes they dive as individuals, sometimes as a flock. When satisfied with 

 food, or when tired of the water, they crawl out on the edge of the ice to bask 

 or sleep, often in dense flocks. Once when in need of dinner, I shot 11 birds, 

 from one such flock, with a 12-gauge shotgun. No. 6 shot. 



When resting on the ice, the guillemot is likely to take flight if suddenly 

 startled, but if more gradually alarmed, it prefers to take to the water to dive^ 

 Either from the edge of the ice or in the water, one bird more shy takes the lead 

 in diving, then a few follow, and in a moment the whole flock, leaving trails of 

 bubbles behind. They soon come to the surface, but if the source of their alarm 

 has come nearer them, they dive again at once, remaining submerged for a; 

 longer time. It can stay under the water for some little time, either when 

 frightened or feeding — up to a minute and a quarter. Even when injured it 

 dives deep and fast. I once wounded two by shot, that almost escaped, with 

 one wing on either broken, by diving beneath a heavy, deep iceberg or floe and 

 coming up on the side away from me. When repeatedly frightened it can not 

 continue submerging itself and finally takes flight. 



Rising against the wind, the guillemot takes to its wings rather quickly and 

 easily ; but with the wind, or when there is no wind at all, it has considerable 

 difiiculty. Under either of these conditions the bird must make a determined 

 effort ; it flutters along the surface partly flying, partly paddling with its little 

 red feet, to develop enough initial velocity to raise it, often for long distances 

 before it trusts to its wings alone. Once in the air, it sways from side to side 

 as it rises, resembling a quail or partridge. Its flight is exceedingly rapid, yet 

 It can turn most abruptly in flight, and likewise most abruptly check its flight — 

 apparently by assuming a sudden vertical position of the body — to drop hover- 

 ingly into the water, in a manner quite different from its usual "shoot-the- 

 ehute " slide into a pool, like a ship slipping uncontrolled Into the sea from her 

 ways. Often the bird stoops so sharply from considerable heights that it drop* 

 ,like a meteor; the noise a flock of such dropping birds makes is like that of a 

 little hurricane. 



Winter. — ^The Eskimo told me that about the Gary Islands, where the water 

 is usually open all the year round, large numbers of the guillemot spend the 

 winter ; and when the sea is open throughout the winter even farther north ia 

 Smith Sound proper, between Cape Sabine and Lyttleton Island, the guillemot 

 frequents it and thrives. On January 25, 1914, one of our Eskimo saw two- 

 Mandt's guillemots in open water along the edge of the ice north of Sunrise 

 Point, and south of Cape Olsen ; the same day, another of our Eskimo saw a. 



