THE COMMON OR FOOLISH GUILLEMOT (Uria troile). ONE-FOURTH NATURAL SIZE.
The COMMON or FOOLISH GUILLEMOT (Uria troile), in its nuptial garb, is bright brown upon the back and on the fore parts of the neck; the points of the feathers upon the upper arm are white, forming a conspicuous band. The under surface is white; the sides are striped with brown. In the winter dress both the fore part of throat and hinder part of cheek are white. The eye is brown, beak black, and foot grey. This species is seventeen inches and a half long, and from twenty-seven to twenty-eight broad; the wing measures three inches and the tail two and a half. The Common Guillemots are to be seen around the British coast at all seasons of the year. About the beginning of May they assemble in their breeding-places on the rocks, which are also frequented by other birds for the same purpose. "From the numbers that congregate," observes Yarrell, "and the bustle apparent amongst them, confusion of interests might be expected; but, on the contrary, it will be found that the Guillemots occupy one station, or line of ledges on the rocks, the Razor-bills another, the Puffins a third, Kittiwake Gulls a fourth, whilst the most inaccessible pinnacles seem to be left for the use of the[Pg 254] lesser Black-backed and the Herring Gulls. Two distinct species scarcely ever breed close by the side of each other."
The egg is laid on a ledge or hollow of the bare rock: it is pear-shaped, about three inches and a quarter long, of a blueish green, or yellowish green colour, with streaks and blotches of brown or black: sometimes the eggs are plain white or green. Great numbers of these eggs are collected by men who descend from the cliff above by means of ropes. The eggs are hatched in about a month. The young are fed for a short time on the rocks by their parents, after which they accompany them to the sea. In what manner they descend seems to be a problem. Mr. Waterton was assured by the men about Flamborough Head that when the young Guillemot gets to a certain size, it manages to climb on the back of the old bird, which conveys it down to ocean; and Mr. Yarrell, in support of this statement, assures us that he has seen at the base of very high cliffs in the Isle of Wight the young of Razor-bills and Guillemots "so small that they could not have made the descent by themselves from the lofty site of their birthplace without destruction; yet these little birds knew perfectly well how to take care of themselves, and at the approach of a boat would swim away and dive like so many Dabchicks." About August, old and young leave the rocks and take to open water. Audubon gives the following curious description of these birds on a group of rocks, which consist of several low islands, destitute of vegetation, and at no great height from the water. "Here thousands of Guillemots annually assemble at the beginning of May to deposit each its single egg and raise its young. As you approach these islands, the air becomes darkened with the multitudes of these birds that fly about. Every square foot of the ground seems to be occupied by a Guillemot planted erect, as it were, on the granite rock, but carefully warming its cherished egg. All look towards the south, and if you are fronting them, the snowy white of their bodies produces a remarkable effect, for the birds at some distance look as if destitute of head, so much does that part assimilate with the dark hue of the rocks on which they stand. On the other hand, if you approach them in the rear, the isle appears as if covered with a black pall."
THE LITTLE AUK, OR GUILLEMOT.
The LITTLE AUK, or GUILLEMOT (Arctica or Mergulus Alle), is recognisable by its short thick beak, which is vaulted above, much turned in at its cutting edge, and incised near its sharp point; in old birds the bill is furrowed in front of the oval-shaped nostril apertures. The upper part of the body is deep black, paler upon the fore neck; the under surface is white, striped with brown upon the sides; the foot is blueish. In winter the throat is whitish and the neck dark grey. The length of this species is from nine to ten inches, breadth sixteen to eighteen inches, length of wing five and a half to six inches, and that of tail one inch and one-eighth to one and three-eighths. The Little Auk is in Greenland generally known to the whale-fishers as the "Ice Bird," from an idea that its presence in any considerable numbers betokens the vicinity of ice. It is usually found within the Arctic Circle. Captain Parry found it even as far north as 82° north latitude; and they were numerous between 81° and 82°. Around Spitzbergen, and Nova Zembla, and near Greenland, it is common; further south it is much scarcer; in Great Britain it is only a winter visitor, and is most frequently seen in the Orkney and Shetland Isles; specimens have, however, been seen upon the English coast, even as far south as Kent. These birds only visit the shores for the purpose of incubation, except when driven inland by violent storms; the ocean is their home, and there they may be seen riding joyfully upon the surge or sleeping tranquilly with their beak buried among their feathers even amid the raging of the billows.
"In the course of my voyages across the Atlantic," observes Audubon, "I have often observed the Little Guillemots in small groups, rising and flying to short distances at the approach of the ship,[Pg 255] 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 face of the deep; again they would seem to be busily engaged in procuring food, which apparently consisted of shrimps, other crustacea, and particles of seaweeds."
The Little Auk must certainly be regarded as the gayest and briskest member of its family; when visiting the shore it steps nimbly along on its toes, vanishes from observation among the stones, or creeps like a mouse into crevices in the rocks. When out at sea it swims and dives with wonderful alacrity, remaining under water for even more than a couple of minutes. Its flight resembles that of the birds above described, but it moves its little wings even more rapidly than they. During the breeding season the Little Auks congregate in immense numbers in the vicinity of the islands on which the eggs are to be deposited. Each pair seeks a suitable spot among the stones that have fallen upon the beach, and there lays a single egg of about the same size as that of the Pigeon, and of a whitish colour slightly tinged with blue. How long incubation continues is unknown; it has, however, been ascertained that both parents attend to their solitary young one (which makes its appearance clad in greyish down) supplying it with food until it is fledged and capable of flying out to sea.
The STARIKIS (Phaleres), a race of birds occupying northern regions, appear to some extent to claim relationship with the Auks and Divers, but are at once distinguishable from them by the flowing crest which adorns their head. Their beak is short, and very much depressed, broad, and of a somewhat triangular shape, it is incised towards the tip, and slightly vaulted above. The short slender feet are placed very far backwards; the wings are of moderate length, and tail very short. The thick plumage is rather brightly coloured. Most of the species belonging to this group are met with between the north coast of Asia, and the north-west shores of America. These birds live in small flocks, swimming with ease and celerity while in quest of their food, which consists of crustacea, mollusca, and other marine animals. As the night approaches they seek the shore, where, under the ledges of the rocks, or in burrows dug with their bills and feet, they retire to rest. The single egg is deposited in similar situations.