COMMON GUILLEMOT.
URIA TROILE.
IN forme* days this sprat's waa known in many ports of the oouatry at the Foolish Guillemot, its confiding
nature and niter disregard of danger having led to tliis uncomplimentary appellation—to imagine everyone
a rogue till proved to be a fool (by no means an unsafe rule to follow) having evidently been Hie creed of
those who bestowed the title. The birds that frequent many of the southern breeding-stations in the British
Islands have greatly diminished in numbers of late years, owing to the persecution to which they have been
exposed by thoughtless gunners, n hose only object was useless slaughter. Among I lie Islands olf the Western
Highlands, ami also aloug the western aud northern coasts of the mainland, they, however, slill hold their
own iu colonies of countless thousands, and little fear need be entertained of any diininiiliou taking place
unless by disease.
During autumn, winter, and early spring I have often observed large flocks of Guillemots oil ditl'crout
parts of our southern aud eastern coasts. At. times these bodies appear stationary for a day or two, moving
backwards aud forwards w itb the tide, or following the course taken by the shoals of herrings or sprats; as
a rule, however, they generally make their way steadily iu one direction. Those movements arc regulated
by the season—south iu autumn over tlit- North Sea, and then passing on west through the Channel, the
course is reversed in the spring. Many, however, must remain behind off the shores of the Highlands and
still further north, as a day or two previous to stormy weather selling in during winter they become
exceedingly restless, aud large liodies of this species, together with Razorbills and lied-throated Divers, may
be seen a few miles at sea, iu the Channel, following one auotber in rapid succession, all moving towards
the west.
On the 19th of August, 1ST I, while staying at Canty Bay, in Bast Lothian, I remarked that immense
number! of adult and immature birds were to be seen on the water in the firth, all the ledges on the lta>s
Bock being then deserted by them. This was, however, by no means an early start from their breedingquarters,
as i Hud iu my notes for 1 Milt, under date of August Oth, that the water outside the Cross Sands
olf Yarmouth, and again almost as far north as Cromer, was in some parts almost black with these birds
aud Razorbills. The whole of the sea-fowl at the 1 hue uc passed liieiu wen1 evidently resting ipiiolly on the
waves; no general movement was undertaken on this occasion, ibe shoals of tisb gradually working south
being doubtless the attraction to this favourite feeding-ground.
On the 23rd of April, lbll, thousands of this species were observed in the Channel, some nine or ten miles
out at sen, oil' B) ighton. Several large Hocks llcw cast during the day, but Ibe majority were Iloating mol ionlcss
on the glassy surface of the water, uurullleil by a breath of air. These birds were, with but few exceptions,
in full summer plumage, only a single specimen iu the perfect winter dress being noticed.
Considering the size of the pinions, the sj>eed at which this species makes its way when once on wing is
surprising. To rise from the water is, however, a somewhat lengthened operation, the feet of the bird Happing