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west coast, and in the heart of Lauderdale on the east. It is not a little singular that in 

 migrating southwards this species should keep almost entirely to the east coast. In East 

 Lothian, where for many years I had ample opportunities of watching its appearance, it is 

 observed regularly every winter, coming near the shore, however, in stormy weather." So far as 

 I can ascertain, there is no instance on record of this species having bred in Great Britain. It is 

 true that Macgillivray stated that it bred on St. Abb's Head ; but Mr. Robert Gray (op. (At. 

 p. 433), referring to this statement, writes as follows : — " I have never seen the species there, 

 although I have taken several journeys expressly for the purpose of looking for it. I have, 

 however, seen at least two specimens in the month of June on the Bass Bock, where they were 

 probably breeding. Mr. Macgillivray himself observed two on the same rock, so that it is likely 

 a few pairs may remain with us during the breeding-season. As collateral evidence on this point 

 it may be mentioned that Pennant, in his ' Tour in Scotland,' records having seen the species on 

 the Farn Islands on the 15th July 1769, and also that the late Mr. Thompson, in his 'Birds of 

 Ireland,' narrates that ' on 19th May 1849 Mr. Darragh, of the Belfast Museum, saw four Little 

 Auks on Ailsa Craig ; one of them remained on the water at the base of the craig until approached 

 by the boat within about eighty yards, when it flew off in the direction which its three companions 

 had taken a minute before.' " I may, however, here remark that I think there is scarcely any 

 good ground for supposing that it has ever bred with us. Dr. Saxby says that a whole winter 

 will sometimes pass without a Little Auk making its appearance ; and he accounts for this by 

 the fact that they only approach the coast now and again when driven in by hard weather, but 

 are found at some distance out at sea all through the winter. It visits the coasts of Ireland, 

 as it does those of England, as an occasional straggler during the winter season, and is said to be 

 seldom numerous. 



On the coasts of Greenland it is a very common species. According to Professor Newton it 

 is said not to breed further south than 68° N. lat. ; but though its great stations are in the 

 northern parts of Baffin's Sea, it is stated not to be common in the Polar sea. It is also found 

 in East Greenland. In Iceland it is said by Faber to be found all the year round ; but it only 

 breeds on Grimsey, where he found it in 1820, and Mr. Proctor in 1837. 



Captain Feilden says that it is not an uncommon winter visitor to the Faeroes, and is fre- 

 quently picked up inland, being blown ashore by the violence of the winter gales. Muller 

 noticed a single flock in Naalsoefiord on the 8th June 1857, the weather at the time being cold 

 and windy. It is scarcely necessary to add that it does not breed on these islands. In Scandi- 

 navia it is also common in winter. Mr. Collett informs me that it does not breed in Norway, 

 but visits all parts of the coast in the winter, from the Varanger fiord to the Swedish frontier, 

 being met with sometimes in large numbers. It frequently penetrates far up the fjords, and is 

 also found as a straggler on the rivers and lakes. In November and December it is common in 

 the Christiania fjord, when the Razorbill and the two larger Guillemots are also found there. 

 On the fjords of East Finmark it remains until April. There is a specimen in the Bergen 

 Museum which was shot near that town in December 1869, and which has still much of the 

 summer plumage remaining on it. It is not an uncommon visitant to the Swedish coasts. 

 Professor Nilsson says that in the winter of 1830-31 numbers were seen on the coasts of Skane, 

 and the harbour of Ystad was covered with them. Towards the spring they disappeared ; but 



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