222 
BLACK GUILLEMOT. 
coast, we have shot specimens on the Isle of May, 
where one or two pairs breed annually. Its breed- 
ing places are unlike those of its congeners; one 
which we discovered was in a cave, and the young 
were found at the extremity, among some loose 
rocks, on which we could land and scramble up. 
The retreat was betrayed by the old birds fishing 
near its entrance, and passing and repassing out 
with a supply of food. Northward still, we saw 
it in June, among the precipitous shores of Suther- 
landshire, and it is known to be common on the 
Orkney and Shetland islands. During winter, it is 
seldom killed; indeed, the only recent example 
which has come under our notice was that described 
afterwards, shot by ourselves on the Ice side of 
Inclikeith. The Black Guillemot is also a summer 
resident in the seas of northern Europe, as well as 
near and within the arctic circle ; it is in these regions 
that the great stronghold of the species is found, 
decreasing gradually to the Shetland and Orkneys, 
and disappearing on the shores of Middle Britain. 
Audubon writes, that, in severe winters they reach 
as far south as the shores of Maryland ; and ho 
found them breeding abundantly on the coast of 
Labrador, in fissures of the rocks, or among great 
piles of blocks with holes in their intestices. 
The specimens alluded to as shot on the Isle of 
May, while breeding, were entirely of a dull but 
deep brownish black, relieved by the vermilion-red 
of the legs and feet, and by an oval patch of pure 
white on the wings, the greater and middle wing- 
