198 British Birds, 



Petrel. Like tlie Manx Shearwater, tlicy are by no 

 means silent in their nest-holes, but make themselves 

 distinctly audible to the j^assenger above. They lay 

 one white Q,gg, a little exceeding 1 inch long, by | 

 broad. 



FAMILY IL— OCEANITIDyE. 



WILSON'S VYH'^'KL—^Oceanites Oceanicus ; 



formerly, Thalassidroma Wilsonii), 

 Equally rare with the bird last-named. 



ORDER.— PYGOPODES. 



FAMILY L— ALCID^. 

 RAZOR-BILL— (y^/^^ tordd). 



Razor-bill Auk, Black-billed Auk, Murre, Marrot. — 

 It may almost be said that wherever the Guillemot is 

 met with the Razor-bill is sure not to be far distant. 

 They have their habits, their food, their haunts, even 

 to a great degree their general appearance, in common. 

 There is, however a great difference both in the shape 

 and size and also in the colouring of the single ^gg 

 laid by the Razor-bill, from that of the Willock. It 

 is less in proportion, less elongated, wants the infinite 

 diversity of colouring which characterises the ^gg of 

 the latter, the ground-colour being always whitish or 

 white tinged with some light buffy shade, and the 

 spots and blotches, which are sufficiently abundant, 

 are some of a reddish or chestnut brown, others of a 

 very deep rich brown. — Fig. ^, plate X, 



