above-mentioned, have wings of moderate length, in which the first quill
is the longest, and a short tail composed of twelve feathers. Their beak,
which is of moderate length, is vaulted above, somewhat angular beneath,
and much compressed and furrowed upon the sides.
The various members of these groups are all inhabitants of northern
seas and of the creeks and bays with which they are contiguous; indeed,
except in the winter time, they seldom pass much beyond the precincts
of the frigid zone. They are all strictly sea-birds; indeed, it is only
during the breeding season that they take up their abode on terra firma;
at all other times they live exclusively upon the water. They swim and
dive with remarkable facility; their powers of flight are moderately
good, and although they do not willingly walk, they are able to do so
tolerably well, treading upon the soles of their feet, and not shuffling
along upon their tarsi. Their food consists exclusively of crustaceans
and fishes, which they are able to bring up from a considerable depth.
They live and feed together, exhibiting considerable sociability, and
during the breeding season they assemble in flocks, amounting in some
species to the number of several hundred thousand pairs, and thus become
to the inhabitants of the extreme north of inestimable importance. In many
settlements on the coast of Greenland they, next to the seals, constitute
the most important article of food, and famine would be the inevitable
result of their ceasing to visit their usual breeding-places in their
wonted numbers.
THE GREENLAND DOVE, OR BLACK GUILLEMOT.
The GREENLAND DOVE, or BLACK GUILLEMOT (_Cephus grylle_), one of the
best-known members of its family, may be regarded as the representative
of a distinct group, and is easily recognisable by its small size, and
comparatively long, slender, straight beak, which curves downwards at
the extremity of the upper mandible. The legs are placed very far back;
the wings are small and pointed, but furnished with strong quills; the
short, rounded tail is composed of from twelve to fourteen feathers.
The plumage is thick, and of velvety texture; its coloration varies
considerably at different ages and at different seasons of the year. When
in full dress at the commencement of the breeding season, the plumage is
glossy black, shaded with green, and enlivened by a white patch upon the
wings. The eye is brown, beak black, and foot coral-red. In its winter
garb the under side is spotted black and white; in young birds the upper
parts are blackish, the wings being white striped with black, the belly
white, and the rest of the body spotted with blackish grey. The length
of this species is thirteen inches, breadth twenty-two inches, length
of wing six and a half inches, and of tail two inches. The range of the
Black Guillemot extends from about 80° to 53° north latitude: within
this zone it is met with on every sea-coast. These birds are seldom seen
assembled in large numbers; they generally arrive in small parties, or
in pairs. It is only when the sea is frozen over, that they congregate
together around any openings that may be met with in the ice, and as soon
as opportunity offers, they again disperse, and distribute themselves
among their usual haunts. As the severity of winter increases, they
migrate further towards the south, and it is only at such seasons that
they occur upon our own shores. There is always something cheerful in
the aspect of these birds, whether they are seen sitting upright on the
rocks, or swimming and diving in their proper element; they float upon
the water light and buoyant, and as they row themselves gracefully along,
their bright red feet often become visible above the surface. When they
dive, their movements are equally graceful; a single backward stroke of
their feet raises their tails into the air, and instantly they disappear,
without any visible disturbance of the water around them. As soon as they
are fairly submerged, they partially open their wings, and by the aid of
these, as well as of their feet, they shoot along with great rapidity,
remaining under water about two minutes before they again show themselves.
When the sea is tranquil and the water clear, their course may be easily
traced for a considerable distance, but we think that some observers have
over-estimated the depth to which they are able to plunge. Their flight
is tolerably good, although, owing to the shortness of their wings, they
are compelled to make such rapid strokes as to produce a whirling sound.
When about to fly, they rise from the sea with some little difficulty,
and have to make considerable efforts in order to get the necessary
impetus; but so soon as they have attained a certain elevation, they
can mount rapidly to the top of the cliffs, upon which they frequently
take their station. Their voice differs considerably from that of the
generality of their congeners; instead of the usual scream it is rather
a whistling note. About the beginning of March, they begin to assemble
at their breeding-places in small flocks, seldom consisting of more than
thirty or forty together, although millions of other birds may resort to
the same locality; and here each pair selects a suitable rent or fissure
in the rock, at a short distance from the entrance of which, towards the
end of April or beginning of May, the female lays her two eggs upon the
bare stone. The eggs are tolerably large, with coarse lustreless shells
of a dingy whitish or blueish green colour, spotted with ashy green, and
streaked with brown or blackish brown patches. Should the eggs first laid
be removed, as they very frequently are when the breeding-places are
accessible, the breeding pair will lay a second time, but usually only
a single egg. The parents take their turns in the task of incubation,
towards the close of which they sit so assiduously that they will suffer
themselves to be captured rather than desert their charge. After the
lapse of twenty-four days, the young make their appearance, clad in a
thick covering of greyish down; at first they are diligently fed upon
sand-worms, small molluscs, sand-eels, and similar fare, but they are soon
able to fish for themselves; they swim well from their earliest infancy,
but are not able to dive until they are fully fledged. In Greenland
and Iceland, great numbers of these birds are killed and eaten, the
Norwegians, however, are content to take their eggs. Their flesh has a
strong flavour of train-oil, still it may be rendered eatable if properly
cooked; in Lapland, the young birds are often brought to table; the
feathers, also, are used to fill beds, but they are chiefly profitable on
account of their eggs, which, although they have a very peculiar taste,
are eagerly sought after. In the British Isles, according to Macgillivray,
the Black Guillemot has no breeding-places south of the Tweed and Solway;
the most southern point being the Bass Rock at the mouth of the Firth of
Forth, and the Isle of Man.
* * * * *
The TRUE GUILLEMOTS (_Uria_) are larger than the above birds, but very
similar in structure; their beak is elongated, of moderate length,
straight and sharply-pointed, slightly vaulted above, and decidedly
angular beneath; its sides are compressed, and edges somewhat drawn in the
foot resembles that of _Cephus grylle_, but the toes are proportionately
longer; the wings are also smaller and more pointed, and the tail,
composed of twelve feathers, shorter; the general plumage is thick and
compact; the under surface is usually white and almost fur-like, whilst
the upper parts of the body are more or less dark brown. The Guillemots
principally inhabit northern latitudes, at certain seasons appearing in
more temperate climates; except during the period of incubation they
seldom visit the land, but pass their whole time upon the ocean. They are
excellent swimmers, and dive well, using both feet and wings for their
propulsion, so that their movements beneath the water are performed with
admirable rapidity and precision; their flight is rapid but hurried, and,
owing to the shortness of their wings, whirring and noisy. So numerous
are these birds in the neighbourhood of their breeding-places, that
(more especially if it be a rock of a pyramidal form) they resemble at a
distance a great swarm of bees. When descending into the water to fish for
food, their wings are kept quite straight and motionless. Except during
the breeding season these flights are not often attempted, at other times
they seldom leave the water, or if induced to take a short excursion,
by way of exercising their wings, they soon drop down again into the
friendly shelter of the waves. They are almost unable to progress upon
dry land; occasionally, however, they may be seen upon the beach, half
walking and half flying, with a very peculiar gait, somewhat resembling
dancing. Anyone who has visited the breeding-places of these birds will no
longer wonder that they have in all languages received names expressive
of foolishness and stupidity. When in the water they will often let a
boat come close to them without showing the slightest distrust of its
dangerous occupants, and on dry land, such is their unconsciousness of
harm, that they will allow a man to come within a few steps of them
without stirring from the spot. This so-called stupidity or indolence
is, however, easily explicable. Of man, who seldom visits their wild
resorts, they have no experience, and consequently have not learned to
fear him; but should a Falcon or an Eagle make its appearance, even in
the remote distance, thousands of them at once take wing, and hastily
retreat to some place of safety. The cliffs on which they build present
a remarkable spectacle; rocks abounding in rifts, cracks, shelves, and
ledges, stretching along the shore or rising abruptly from the sea, afford
them the situations they prefer; if isolated, solitary, and accessible
to none but winged creatures, so much the more eligible. There, about
the end of March or beginning of April, they may be seen to congregate,
their numbers gradually increasing until countless multitudes throng every
available situation. Thousands and hundreds of thousands swarm upon the
ledges, shelves, and projections, wherever these are to be found, and
range themselves in rows like a regiment of soldiers, all with their white
breasts turned towards the sea, hundreds of thousands more may be seen
flying off from the ledges of the cliffs down to the water below, while
multitudes, equally innumerable, are as constantly flying upwards from
the sea to the cliff, and whole fleets are swimming and diving in the
waves beneath. Strange to say, although every place affording foothold is
crowded to excess, the utmost order and decorum everywhere prevail; each
seems desirous of assisting and accommodating the other, so that disputes
or battles seldom occur. The countless pairs of which this vast assembly
consists exhibit the utmost constancy and attachment, and may be seen
before the eggs are laid, keeping constantly together, caressing each
other with their beaks, and evincing the greatest affection. They fly off
together to the sea, fish together for a supply of food, and then return
to their nesting-place, where they subsequently share the duties connected
with the incubation of the eggs, and the procuration of food for their
progeny. The female lays but a single very large egg, which is shaped like
a pegtop, and thus, by a simple but beautiful contrivance, is prevented
from rolling off the narrow ledge on which, without any other protection,
it safely rests. The egg is provided with a coarse shell, spotted and
streaked with dark markings upon a light ground, but so variable are the
colours, that out of a hundred scarcely two will be found exactly alike.
The period of incubation extends over from thirty to thirty-five days.
When the young makes its appearance it rather resembles a ball of greyish
black wool than a bird; its coat of down soon disappears; its growth is
rapid; and in about a month it is completely fledged.
THE COMMON OR FOOLISH GUILLEMOT.
[Illustration: 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 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, 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.
THE STARIKI.
The STARIKI (_Phaleris cristatella_) presents as its most conspicuous
feature a sort of plume upon the head, consisting of six or eight
remarkable feathers, placed close together; other feathers of similar
character, and of a pale white, ornament the sides of the head, and
project over the origin of the bill. The plumage of the adult bird is
blackish brown upon the upper part of the body, and blueish grey beneath,
shading upon the belly to a yellowish grey. The wing-quills and tail are
black, the outermost quill being spotted with brown, and the rest with
white. The eye is dark brown, beak coral-red, and foot blueish. In young
birds the tuft upon the head is wanting; the feathers on the brow are
black, with white shafts; the entire upper portion of the body is black,
except the region of the shoulder, which is grey; the throat is greyish
yellow, and under surface pure white. In its general appearance this bird
resembles a large Quail. Steller, who first discovered the Stariki, met
with it in Behring's Straits; subsequent naturalists have traced it from
thence to the Sea of Japan and the north coasts of America. In disposition
these birds are social and lively. Kittlitz tells us he has seen small
parties of them swimming and diving together in twos and threes.
We learn from the same authority that each pair lays two eggs, which are
moderately large, and of an elongated form. The shell is brownish white,
speckled and marked with brown.
* * * * *
The AUKS (_Alcæ_) may in certain senses be considered as intermediate
between the Guillemots and the Coulternebs, resembling the former in
the coloration of their plumage and mode of life, and the latter in
the peculiar structure of their bill. The beak is of moderate length,
very narrow, and very high; the upper mandible bends like a bow along
the culmen, while the lower one turns angularly upwards, and is furrowed
towards its base; the cutting edge, which is also curved, is exceedingly
sharp. The tail is short, and consists of twelve narrow feathers; the
wings are slender, long, pointed, and sometimes sabre-shaped. In their
habits and modes of life these strange-looking birds closely resemble the
Guillemots.
[Illustration: AN ASSEMBLAGE OF AUKS.]
THE RAZOR-BILL.
[Illustration: GREAT AUK, OR THE GIANT PENGUIN (_Alca pinguinus_ or
_impennis_).]