THE BLACK (GUILLEMOT. 
297 
divulges nothing, and sceptics may still say of my own which 
continued for five years, as above related, that had they lasted 
twenty, some change would surely have happened ; and then, 
if there were no change in appearance by the end of that time, 
the suggestion would naturally arise that the result might have 
been different had the birds been at large. 
[A careful examination of the very numerous allusions to 
these two Guillemots in my brother’s journals fails to show the 
smallest trace of his having ever observed a specimen which 
could not at once be referred to its type, hlothing is ever seen 
of an intermediate state, whether in the old birds or in the 
young. Slight though the specific distinctions may be, they 
are of a positive character, and are always decisively marked, 
the ring and “ bridle” being either unmistakably manifest or 
absent altogether. The importance of this point will be appre- 
ciated by observers who some years ago may have had to form 
their own conclusions as to the claims of the variety of L. 
ridihitndus with which good Mr Yarrell, following Temminck, 
so sorely puzzled us, under the name of the Masked Gull. 
—Ed.] 
THE BLACK GUILLEMOT. 
Uria grylle. 
TYSTIE. 
On the arrival of the ornithologist in Shetland, one of the 
first objects to attract his attention is that always lively 
and beautiful little bird, the Black Guillemot, and albeit he 
may lose no time in procuring a good supply of specimens, he 
will be remorseless indeed if he disturb it further, except for 
the purpose of throwing light upon some particular point in 
its natural history. It appears unaccountable that a bird so 
harmless and familiar should be so sadly persecuted by Shet- 
landers of every class ; they never pass a chance of shooting 
it, although it is utterly worthless to them when killed. Every 
time one appears near the boat, even at the distance of half a 
