File:Birds of Britain (1907) (14732441326).jpg

Identifier: birdsofbritain00bonh (find matches)
Title: Birds of Britain
Year: 1907 (1900s)
Authors: Bonhote, J. Lewis (John Lewis), 1875-1922 Dresser, Henry Eeles, 1838-1915
Subjects: Birds -- Great Britain
Publisher: London, A. and C. Black
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
im readily, but it is said that unless forcibly made todive by their parents they remain on the surface. Incaptivity, however, they dive without hesitation on theleast sign of alarm, using both wings and feet, and progresswith considerable rapidity under water. At the age of about two months the flight feathersproper begin to grow, and then the autumnal moult takesplace. In summer the adult has the head, neck, chin, throat,and back deep blackish brown, a narrow line from theeye to the culmen white, and the rest of the under partswhite. The bill is black and vertically flattened; it hastwo or more grooves near the tip that are whitish. Itvaries greatly in size, and is much larger in some individualsthan in others, this difference being probably due to age.The sexes are alike, and in winter the chin and throat arewhite. Except in the size of the bill, the young birdresembles the adult after the first moult. Length 17 in.;wing 7-3 in. 376 RAZORBILL Alca tordaAdult (left). Young (right) /
Text Appearing After Image:
The Great AukTHE GREAT AUK Alca impennis, Linnaeus So much has been written on this now extinct speciesthat it need hardly be mentioned here. The last living example was killed off Iceland in 1844,and the last British example was captured in 1834 inWaterford Harbour. In former times it was abundant round Newfoundland,and especially on Funk Island, where the fishermen usedto salt it down for food, and soon extirpated it. In appearance it was like a large Eazorbill, but it hadvery small wings and was quite incapable of flight. Thelores and under parts were white, upper parts black.Length 32 in.; wing 4*25 in. THE COMMON GUILLEMOT Uria troile (Linnseus) In its habits, food, and actions this species closelyresembles the Eazorbill, and they are usually found breed-ing on the same cliffs. The numbers at a colony canonly be reckoned in countless thousands, the birds sittingcrowded together as close as possible. This species lays its egg on the bare open ledges andnever seeks the nooks and re

Note About Images