GUILLEMOT Uria, a genus of web-footed birds, of the group braehypterce (q.v.) or divers, and included by Linnaeus in the genus colymbus (see Divan), but now more gen erally ranked among the aleathe (see Aua) than among the colymbithE (q.v.). The bill is moderately long, straight, and pointed, as in colymbus, but rather more compressed, and covered with feathers as far as the nostrils; the feet, as in the other aleadis, are three toed, having no hind-toe, and entirely webbed. The legs are placed very far back, and are very short, the tibia scarcely appearing beneath the abdomen, so that they are ill adapted for walking, and the posture of the bird on land is erect, even when hatching its egg, The tail is very short. The wings are short, and are moved with great fre quency in flight, which, however, the guillemots are able to sustain remarkably well, in consequence of the abundant provision made for aeration of the blood by their very large air-cavities. On the same account, they usually float very high iu the water, though, when danger approaches, they can sink their bodies under water, till the head, neck, and upper part of the back are alone visible. They excel in diving, and use their wings for progression under water, where they seek their food, which consists chiefly of small fishes and crustaceans. They are seldom seen in the seas of warm latitudes, but are extremely abundant in those of the arctic regions and the colder parts of the temper ate zone, particularly in the neighborhood of rocky coasts. The COMMON GUILLEMOT, or Foomsn GUILLEMOT (U. troiZe) is abundant on many parts of the British coasts, breed ing even on those of the south of England, although large flocks also arrive in winter from the north. It abounds in all the arctic regions. Its winter migrations extend as far s. as the Mediterranean. and in America to New York. It is called foolish guil
lemot, from its often suffering itself to be taken by the hand rather than leave the cliffs on which it breeds, and where prodigious numbers may be seen stationed close together on the ledges of rock. The parent birds are said to carry their young on their hacks from the high ledges to the water. The entire length of the common guillemot is about 18 inches. The common guillemot lays only one egg, which has a very thick shell, is pear-shaped, and remarkably large, being more than three inches long. If the egg is destroyed or taken away, another is ham its stead, The egg is esteemed a delicacy, but the flesh of the bird is coarse. The skin with the feathers is used for clothing in some northern regions. Young birds and eggs are among the objects in pursuit of which the rock-fowlers of the northern coasts scale or descend the most tremendous precipices. Great numbers of the eggs are exported from the coasts of Newfoundland and BLACK GUILLEMOT (U. grylle) is a smaller species, about 14 inches long; the plumage entirely black in summer, except a large white patch on each wing; but in winter, the under parts are white; the young are mottled or spotted. It is not common on the southern coasts of Britain, but breeds on many of the Scottish islamls. It is plentiful in the arctic regions, and is as common in America as in the old world. It has been called the Greenland dove. It lays three eggs, often on the bare rock; but if the situation is damp, it piles up for them a curious nest of pebbles. Other species are enumerated among British birds, but are rare: Several species are peculiar to the northern parts of the Pacific ocean.