COMMON GUILLEMOT. 
II7 
birds reappear during the months of November and December, 
at least half of them being young ones ; and in some of the 
migration-reports the Guillemot is returned as appearing at its 
breeding-places suddenly, and just as suddenly leaving them 
again when the duties of the season are over. 
" “ The Guillemot is an expert diver, very often diving 
so suddenly as to defy the quickest shots, disappearing at 
the flash of the gun, to rise again at some distance quite 
unharmed. We have but little opportunity, if any, of observing 
the bird’s aquatic gambols in its own native ocean ; but the 
Guillemots in the salt-water tanks at the Brighton Aquarium are 
a source of never-ending interest and amusement to visitors. 
Using their wings much after the manner that a fish does its 
fins, they progress through the water, darting hither and thither 
with great rapidity. In swimming, the Guillemot uses its legs 
as a motor, but in diving the wings alone are used ; the whole 
body of the bird is covered with a mass of air-bubbles, and it 
leaves a train of these bubbles behind it, glistening like silver 
and pearls, which adds much to the beauty of the performance. 
Sometimes the descent of the bird is perpendicular, sometimes 
in an oblique direction ; and its progre.ss under the water is 
made apparently as easily as through the air, even more so, 
turning and gliding about with ever graceful movements, and 
sometimes hovering over a morsel of food like a Tern. The 
Guillemots at the .Aquarium rarely stay under the surface more 
than half-a-minute ; but in the open sea I have known them to 
remain down for a much longer time. 
“ 'I'he food of the Guillemot i.s largely composed of the fry 
of fishes, notably that of the herring ; but this fare is also 
varied by small crustaceans, marine insects, molluscs, and 
various small fish. This food is often obtained near the coasts, 
in sheltered bays and estuaries, where the birds congregate in 
large numbers ; but at night they generally go out to the open 
sea, except during the breeding season. The Guillemot is often 
caught in the herring nets, and is sometimes taken on the 
hooks baited with small fishes. It takes its prey, if it be a 
fish, crosswise, and swallows it after changing its position. The 
young birds are fed by their parents on portions of fish, and 
even when they are sufficiently matured to seek the water they 
are still tended by the old birds. 
