208 
ALCIDAS. 
derable numbers on the north-western extremity of the island, 
where the high and precipitous rocks afford them facilities for in- 
cubation. They were not, however, so plentiful as either the 
razorbills or puffins, but they frequented the same rocks indis- 
criminately. * * * The young guillemots I had frequent 
opportunities of examining ; they were, when excluded from the 
shell, covered with a dark grey down of a whitish colour under- 
neath.” The greatest haunt of these birds in the breeding season 
that I have visited is the extensive range of stupendous cliffs at 
Horn Head in Donegal, to which immense numbers resort. Situa- 
tions for their nests are selected at various heights, some being low 
down near the sea. They are said to come here in March, and 
depart about “Lammas” (12th August): their eggs are stated to 
be deposited in clefts of the rock as well as on the “ open flags.” 
The rocks of Tory Island in this vicinity are also tenanted by 
these birds in summer. Between this island and Horn Head, 
two or three pair only were seen by Mr. G. C. Hyndman on the 
8th of August, 1845 ; one pair was accompanied by their young, 
almost full grown. 
At Achil, in June 1834, we learned that guillemots breed 
on the Bill’s Bock off that island, and the limestone cliffs of Ar- 
ranmore, off the entrance to Galway Bay, were found by ourselves 
to be tenanted by vast multitudes of them and razorbills. On 
the cliffs of Kerry they commonly breed, as they do on those of 
Cork, Waterford, Wexford, Wicklow, Dublin, &c., and the adja- 
cent islands. In the month of July 1837, 1 observed them about 
the rocks of Ireland’s Eye, off Howth ; they breed at the neigh- 
bouring island of Lambay. When sailing up Dublin Bay on 
the morning of September 4, 1845, several of these birds and 
their young came under my notice, 
A gentleman of my acquaintance, fishing in Belfast Bay, off 
Crawfordsburn, on the 28th and 29th of August, 1845, was 
much entertained by observing the habits of these birds and their 
young, of which he saw great numbers. The young were about 
one-third less than their parents, and uttered a shrill squeaking 
note, while that of the old was hoarse and guttural ; — like a 
