RAZORBILL. 265 



variation, conforms a little more to regular types ; a single 

 figure can give no idea of the wonderful variation of the eggs of 

 either species. The spots, streaks, lines, and blotches differ in 

 size and quantity, the ground may be white, cream, blue, green, 

 or brown. Apart from the shape and, on the average, smaller 

 size, the eggs may be distinguished from those of the Guillemot 

 by a simple test, which holds good in all but the blue and green 

 eggs of the latter ; if held to the light the inner shade, as seen 

 through the hole through which the contents were extracted, is 

 greenish in the Razorbill, cream or yellowish in the Guillemot. 

 The nestling (Plate 118) has a short and shallow bill, a whitish 

 head and under parts, and a velvety-brown back, but the first 

 plumage closely resembles the summer dress of the old bird. 

 The young is fed by the parent on fish, frequently sand-eels, 

 and these are often brought several at once, held crosswise in 

 the bill ; Mr. F. W. Frohawk saw twelve brought by one bird. 

 How the bird captures and packs fish after fish in its bill is a 

 mystery. After two or three weeks on the ledge the young goes 

 to sea, and does not return to land until the following spring. 

 The ledges are often a hundred feet or more above the sea, yet 

 young still unable to fly may be seen with their parents on the 

 water. It has been asserted that the juveniles slither down the 

 rocks or are jostled from their insecure homes by the old birds ; 

 fishermen and others declare that they are carried down in the 

 bill or on the back of the old bird. Certainly in many places 

 death would inevitably result if the young bird fell or was thrown 

 over, and eye-witnesses believe that they have seen them 

 carried ; further evidence is, however, desirable. The parents 

 continue to feed them on the water, but the young soon learn to 

 hunt for themselves. 



The upper parts of the adult in summer are black glossed 

 with green, the chin and throat are dark, rich brown, the under 

 parts, a wing bar, and a line from the top of the bill to the 

 eye are white. In winter the sides of the face, chin, and throat 



