GUILLEMOT. 77 



2.— LESSER GUILLEMOT. 



Uria minor, hid. Orn. ii. 797. Gm. Lin. 585. 



Ringuia, Brun. p. 28. No. 111. 



Lesser Guillemot, Gen. Syn. vi. 332. Br. Zool. ii. No. 235. pi. 83. Id./ol. 138. 



Id. 1812. ii. 162. pi. 28. f. 1. Arct. Zool. Sup. p. 69. Bewick, ii. pi. p. 177. 



Walcot, ii. pi. 97. Orn. Diet. Sf Supp. 



THIS is rather smaller than the last. The bill and irides the 

 same; the top of the head, including the eyes, hind part of the neck, 

 back, wings, and tail, black, behind the eye continued in a streak ; 

 sides of the head, beneath the eye, and all the under parts, white ; 

 greater wing coverts tipped with white; legs black. In some birds 

 the black streak behind the eye is much broader. 



The Lesser Guillemot is not near so common as the Foolish 

 Species, and only frequents our coasts in winter ; is more rare on 

 those of Wales; but in the Firth of Forth in innumerable flocks, 

 in pursuit of sprats, and there called Morrot, joining in company 

 with the Black-billed Auks, on the Coasts of Devonshire. 



Authors do not seem positive whether to rank this bird as distinct, 

 or to esteem it as a Variety, or young bird of the Foolish Species; 

 and we must confess, that it has hitherto appeared to us rather in the 

 latter light; unless it were perhaps in the winter dress, for we are 

 assured that they are not alike at all seasons ; but the late Colonel 

 Montagu seems confirmed in its being distinct in species, and in this 

 view he also held the Black-billed Auk, which Fabricius says,* 

 undergoes a change according to the season, having the cheeks, 

 and all the under parts, white, in the winter : as to ouselves, we are 

 not prepared to give a determined opinion on the subject, from 

 experience, and recommend to the readers a sensible dissertation by 

 Col. Montagu, in the Supplement to his Ornithological Dictionary. 



* Faun, groenl. p. 7. 



