ON THE LESSER GUILLEMOT 
Eagle, and treats himself to birds and young lambs ! The 
Cormorant, in some situations, perches on trees, while, for 
the most part, he rests only on rocks by the water-side. 
The Hooded Crow, in maritime situations, forgets his 
characteristic timidity for the water, and skims along its 
surface like a Gull in pursuit of small sea animals, though, 
as I have sometimes witnessed, he occasionally suffers from 
his aquatic excursions. I believe one of the most charac- 
teristic marks of distinction of species of birds is to be found 
in their modes of flight ; it at least furnishes a good gene- 
ric distinction. And to those who are in the practice of 
observing the habits of birds, this difference of flight is 
very striking : no one is more aware of this than the expert 
sportsman, for much of his success depends on this know- 
ledge. 
The reason of these birds accumulating in Scotland in 
winter, and not in England, is quite apparent ; the deep 
bays and friths of the former afford them food and shelter, 
which the exposed coasts of the latter cannot confer. It 
cannot be mere climate ; for there is surely not so great a 
difference between the winter temperatures of these coun- 
tries, as in proportion to the greatly superior numbers that 
are found in Scotland at that period of the year. It is ac- 
cordingly in the Frith of Forth and the Moray Frith in 
the east, and the corresponding lochs in the west, that the}^ 
are chiefly found, while they are comparatively rare on the 
intermediate exposed coasts. The supposition, therefore, 
that they should migrate northward to a short distance in 
the winter, is not in " violation of the actual cause of the 
propensity to migrate."" 
The Foolish Guillemot and Razor-Bill produce each 
one young one in the year. The young, till about a week 
old, are covered by a dusky-grey down ; and the first co- 
lour of the feathers is that of the parent-bird. Previous 
