172 Wild Birds and their Haunts 



THE RAZOR BILL AUK (ALCA TORDA). 



THIS species on some coasts is nearly equally abun- 

 dant with the Guillemots, and resembles it much 

 in habits, breeding in the same manner and gre- 

 gariously on the same rocks, appearing off our shores and 

 in our firths and inlets during the winter in small parties. 



They are easily approached in a boat, but they do not 

 allow the hunter to come so near as the guillemots, diving 

 or taking wing when a boat approaches to within thirty 

 or forty yards. The wings are shorter, and it has a more 

 rapid flight, which is swift while it lasts. It seems to 

 skim the water in winter time. 



This member of the Auk family is found breeding in 

 suitable localities over a long range, viz., from Shetland to 

 the Isle of Wight, and thence southward. It is supposed 

 to be equally abundant on the continental shores, but 

 there is uncertainty as to the exact southern limit. 



Certain it is that the Zoological Society has received 

 specimens from Tangiers ; in the Arctic Seas it is also 

 found. It has been found breeding in the fissures of rock 

 in British North America. 



In the breeding plumage the head and neck are brown- 

 ish black, of a paler or browner tint on the throat, a 

 narrow streak of white extends from the culmen of the 

 bill to the angle of the eye ; the plumage is thick and soft ; 

 above, very deep brownish black ; the secondary quills 

 tipped with white, forming a narrow bar across the wing ; 

 tail cuneated with the centre feathers, narrowed towards 

 the tip ; under plumage entirely white ; the bill black, 

 transversely furrowed with a line of white in that of the 

 centre ; legs and feet nearly black. 



In the plumage of the first year, when it is known 

 under the name of Black-billed Auk, the bill is very weak, 

 and the indication of the white streak to the eye is just 

 marked ; the upper parts are as in the adult breeding state, 

 but without the lustre ; while the chin, throat, cheeks, and 

 sides of the nead, as well as the under parts, are white ; 

 the light colour passing over nearly to the occiput, where 

 it is very slightly clouded, and the feathers become gradu- 

 ally purer, the tips for a certain space only being dark. 



