N'orthern Neijos. 



289 



BIRDS, 



Briinnich's Guillemot (Uria bruennichi ) at the Farne 

 Islands in June.— On June 14th, when off the celebrated 

 Pinnacle Rocks, with Mr. Riley Fortune, I was greatly sur- 

 prised to notice a Briinnich's Guillemot on the water, and 

 quite close to the boat. I called my friend's attention to it, 

 and we watched it diving and reappearing for some time, and 

 put the boat round to follow it until it was lost in the hundreds 

 of Common Guillemots that were floating upon the surface.. 

 We hung about for some time longer, but could not find it 

 again, and unfortunately were leaving for home the following 

 morning. 



A rather curious feature was that it was not in full summer 

 plumage, and it was the fact of having more white upon its- 

 neck and lower throat in contrast to its companions, the 

 Common Guillemots, that first drew my attention to it, and it 

 was also rather darker on the upper parts. It was in a state 

 intermediate between the winter and summer plumages. Sup- 

 posing it were a winged bird would that retard its nuptial 

 plumage, or does Briinnich's Guillemot attain its summ.er 

 plumage later than its more common relative ? 



But its thicker, slightly shorter, and differently shaped 

 beak was quite distinct from that of the Common Guillemot, 

 and on one occasion it rose so very near to our boat that I 

 could distinctly see (through my field-glasses) the white line 

 along the edge of the basal half of the upper mandible. 



Immediately on our return ashore at Seahouses we re- 

 examined the specimen of Briinnich's Guillemot at the 

 Bamburgh Arms Hotel, which was shot off the Farne Islands 

 by the late Mr. Cuthbertson. Our identification was confirmed, 

 excepting that the stuffed bird was more in winter plumage 

 than the bird we had seen. In my own mind I have 

 not the slightest doubt about its correct identity. But I am 

 aware that the accuracy of its occurrence in summer may be 

 challenged, so I am sending this short note without delay in 

 order that any ornithologists who visit the Farne Islands this 

 season may look out for the bird. — Harry B. Booth, Bradford. 



Some months ago Mr. Leonard Gill, the Curator of the Hancock 

 Museum, Newcastle, contributed to the ' Newcastle Daily Chronicle ' a 

 series of articles dealing with the history of the Museum under his charge. 

 These have been reprinted as an appendix to the ' Transactions of the 

 Natural History Society of Northumberland, Durham, and Newcastle- 

 upon-Tyne,' and form a very valuable record. 



1908 July I. 



