294 
ALCAD.-E. 
THE KINGED GUILLEMOT. 
Uriel lachrymans. 
When writing of this bird, now many years ago, Mac- 
gillivray, touching upon the question of “ species or variety,” 
observed * that “ one or two of the many idle sportsmen 
might settle the question, and probably find as much pleasure 
in exploring the breeding places of the Guillemot as in merely 
walking day after day among heather, and shooting grouse 
after grouse.” 
It is difficult to ascertain to what extent idle sportsmen 
have availed themselves of the suggestion, but it is certain 
that for the last twenty years at least many industrious 
ornithologists — some keen Grouse-shooters among them too — 
have devoted a large amount of time and attention to the 
subject, and with a result which leaves it in much the same 
state as before. 
In offering my own crude and scanty observations, I shall 
therefore endeavour to avoid allusion to my own opinion, 
merely keeping in mind that I am relating facts concerning a 
Guillemot with a white ring round the eye, and a line of the 
same colour extending backwards therefrom, and which, for 
the sake of custom and avoidance of confusion, I still call 
the Kinged Guillemot.” 
In its times of arrival and departure, and in its winter 
habits, it precisely resembles the Common Guillemot. My 
remarks upon the plumage and the colouring of the bare 
parts in the one apply also with equal truth to the other. 
Both vary considerably in size, but I think upon the whole 
that the Kinged Guillemot is the smaller of the two. Mr J. 
IL Gurney, jun. records the capture of a remarkably small 
specimen at Bridlington (“ZooL,” 1869, p. 1684,) At various 
times, but mostly near the breeding season, I have seen couples 
and single birds along the coast, the couples obtained con- 
* “ British Birds,” vol. v, page 329. 
