•260 
URIA ALLE. 
of the pond to the other, and wonld take food from th^ 
hand. The bird had received an injury in the head- 
which had deprived one eye of its sight, and the otbet 
was a little impaired ; but, notwithstanding, it could, by 
incessantly diving, discover all the fish that was thron'" I 
into the pond. In defect of fish, it would eat flesh. 
“ It is observable, that the legs of this bird arc ^ 
constructed and situated as to render it incapable ®' 
walliing upon them. This is probably the case wi*'’ 
all the divers, as well as the grebes. 
“ When this bird quitted the water, it shoved 
body along upon the ground, like a seal, by jerk* 
rubbing the breast against the ground, and it returnc" 
again to the water in a similar manner. In swimniicy 
and diving# only the legs are used, and not the wingf’ 
as in the guillemot and auk tribes, and by tbe^ 
situation so far behind, and their little deviation fr®^ 
the line of the body, the bird is enabled to propel its®' 
in the water with great velocity in a straight line, «'** 
well as turn with astonishing quickness.” 
292. VBIA ALLS, TEMMINCK . — ALCA ALLE, WILSON. 
LITTLE GUILLEMOT, •f’ 
WILSON, PLATE LXXIV. FIG. V. 
Op the history of this little stranger, but few par'!' 
culars are known. With us it is a very rare bird, a® 
when seen, it is generally in the vicinity of the 
The specimen described was killed at Great Egg Harb®® 
in the month of December, 1811, and was .sent ' 
Wilson as a great curiosity. It measured nine inches ' . 
length, and fourteen in e.vtent ; the bill, upper part ® 
* I have never seen this bird diving in pursuit of fish, 
have seen it in the act of diving to avoid danger, and took n® 
that its wings, when lieneath the surface of the water, did n®* 
close to the body, but they were not as inuch extended as 
the act of flying. They had no rfsible motion, hence the presuwr 
tion is that their only use is to balance the body. , [,v 
+ Named in the plate, Little Auk. This article is written 
Mr Ord. 
