56 ALCID^. 



The Auks are confined to the higher or temperate regions of 

 the Northern hemisj^here, and structurally they show no 

 close affinity with the Sj^lieniscidte or true Penguins of the 

 Southern oceans, although frequently associated with them 

 in popular ideas, owing to a confusion of trivial names, and 

 a superficial resemblance. 



The Razor-hill is one of our best known species, although 

 inferior in numbers to the Common Guillemot and the 

 Puffin. All three may be seen in the tide-way of the open 

 sea around our coast at any season ; but as their numbers 

 are there dispersed over an extensive surface, these birds 

 are best observed during the breeding-season, when they 

 assemble by hundreds, or more frequently by thousands, on 

 many of the most extensive and highest rocks and cliffs of 

 our sea-girt islands. 



About the middle or latter part of March in the south of 

 England, and early in April in the northern portions of 

 our islands, the Razor-bills, Guillemots, and Puffins con- 

 verge to particular points, where, from the numbers that 

 congregate, and the bustle apparent among them, confusion 

 of interests and localities might be expected. It will, how- 

 ever, be found that, as a rule, the Guillemots occupy one 

 station or line of ledges on the rock ; the Razor-bills 

 another ; the Puffins a third ; the Kittiwake Gulls a fourth ; 

 whilst the most inaccessible crags seem to be left for the 

 use of the Herring Gulls. The Razor-bills generally select 

 the higher and rougher ledges, and they are partial to 

 crevices, their eggs being sometimes deposited so far in that 

 it is no easy matter to get at them ; at other times they lay 

 their eggs on the broader shelves along with the Guillemots, 

 but not so closely together. At the Fame Islands the Editor 

 once saw a Razor-bill sitting on her egg in the old nest of 

 a Cormorant. When incubating they lie on their eggs, 

 the mate often standing by the side of the sitting bird. 

 Sometimes the male brings food to the female, but both 

 birds take their turn at incubation, one having been seen to 

 fly to the sitting one and give it a gentle peck, when the 

 latter immediately ceded its place. The egg of the Razor- 



