Birds of Britain 



Razorbill. The eggs are very pear-shaped, a wise provision 

 whicli prevents their rolling off the narrow ledges on which 

 they are laid. In colour they are most variable ; the- 

 commonest variety is greenish in ground colour with brown 

 or black streaks and markings ; cream varieties somewhat 

 resembling those of the Eazorbill are not uncommon, but 

 they may always be distinguished by the yellovjish white 

 lining membrane, whereas in the Razorbill the membrane 

 is greenish. 



The young bird when first hatched is covered with iron- 

 grey down on those parts of the body whicli are brown in 

 the summer dress of the adult. The under parts are white 

 and there are a few bits of white down on the head. 



In its habits and moults it resembles the young Razor- 

 bill. 



In summer the adult has the upper parts, chin, and 

 throat dark brown, and the rest of the body white. The 

 black bill is long, pointed, and sharp, and not flattened as 

 in the Razorbill. At the autumnal moult the brown on 

 the chin, throat, and back of the head is replaced by white, 

 and in this and the other allied species all the flight feathers 

 are moulted at the same time. Length 18 in.; wing 7*5 in. 



There is a curious variety of this bird known as the 

 Ringed or Bridled Guillemot, which may be distinguished 

 in summer by having a narrow white ring round the eye 

 which stretches backwards for a short distance along the 

 feather crease behind it. 



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