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COMMON SEA-DOVE.— LITTLE GUILLEMOT 
Mergulus ALLE, Linn . 
PLATE CCCCLXIX. — Male and Pemale, 
This interesting little bird sometimes makes its appearance on our eastern 
coasts during very cold and stormy weather. It does not proceed much 
farther southward than the shores of New Jersey, where it is of very rare 
occurrence. Now and then some are caught in a state of exhaustion, as I 
have known to be the case especially in Passamaquody Bay near Eastport 
in Maine, and in the vicinity of Boston and Salem in Massachusetts. 
In the course of my voyages across the Atlantic, I have often observed 
the Little Guillemots in small groups, rising and flying to short distances at 
the approach of the ship, or diving close to the bow and reappearing a little 
way behind. Now with expanded wings they would flutter and run as it 
were on the surface of the deep ; again, they would seem to be busily 
engaged in procuring food, which consisted apparently of shrimps, other 
Crustacea, and particles of sea-weeds, all of which I have found in their 
stomach. I have often thought how easy it would be to catch these tiny 
wanderers of the ocean with nets thrown expertly from the bow of a boat, 
for they manifest very little apprehension of danger from the proximity of 
one, insomuch that I have seen several killed with the oars. Those which 
were caught alive and placed on the deck, would at first rest a few minutes 
with their bodies flat, then rise upright and run about briskly, or attempt to 
fly off. which they sometimes accomplished, when they happened to go in a 
straight course the whole length of the ship so as to rise easily over the 
bulwarks. On effecting their escape they would alight on the water and 
immediately disappear. 
During my visit to Labrador and Newfoundland I met with none of these 
birds, although the codfishers assured me that they frequently breed there. 
I am informed by Mr. Townsend that this species is found near the mouth 
of the Columbia river. 
Little Auk, Alca Alle , Wils. Amer. Orn., vol. ix. p. 94. 
Uria Alle, Bonap. Syn., p. 425. 
Little Guillemot, Uria Alle, Swains, and Rich. F. Bor. Amer., vol. ii. p. 479. 
