Il8 allen’s naturalist’s library. 
“ As a rule the Guillemot is a remarkably silent bird ; and 
no matter how large its colony may be, but little or no noise is 
heard, save the whirr of their short wings as they leave the 
ledges, and an occasional hoarse guttural note as they struggle 
for a point of vantage on the rocks. When seriously alarmed, 
they often utter this note whilst wheeling round an intruder’s 
head ; but the Guillemot rarely utters a sound, and allows its 
eggs to be taken, or its jirivacy disturbed, without offering any 
noisy resistance or remonstrance. 
“ The breeding-season is the time when the Guillemot’s habits 
are most interesting and the easiest to observe. During that 
period, which commences in May and lasts until August, the 
birds are confined to the rocky headlands and the isolated 
rocks. Among the breeding-places of the Guillemot the cliffs 
at Flamhorough and Bempton probably stand unrivalled, so 
far as the British Islands are concerned; but I know of no 
place where sea birds can be studied to greater advantage than 
at the fames. I have visited these islands many times, and 
every time I have been more charmed than before.” 
Nest.; — None, the egg being laid upon the bare rock. 
Egg. — One only, pear-shaped. The eggs of the Guillemot 
are subject to the most extraordinary variation, exceeding, 
perhaps, that of any other species of bird. The series in the 
British Museum occupies 13 cabinet drawers. They principally 
consist of the specimens presented by the late Henry Seebohm. 
The types of coloration are so varied that a special description 
of each becomes difficult. The following varieties are perhaps 
the most prominent : — 
Ground-colour white, sometimes unspotted, the markings 
few and far between, but sometimes forming confluent blotches. 
Ground-colour greenish-blue, with all kinds of irregular spots, 
blotches, and scribblings, some of the eggs being so thickly 
mottled as to call to mind a thickly-marked Crow’s egg. 
Ground-colour greenish-blue, with brown or blackish 
scribblings only, these being distributed all over the surface, or 
being congregated at the larger end of the egg. 
Ground-colour creamy-buff, thickly or sparsely spotted with 
chestnut. 
