NOTES. 91 



the bill of one bird at a time, all arranged in a regular row 

 at right angles to the bill, in the manner shown in the accom- 

 panying drawing, from a sketch I made soon after watching 

 the birds. 



In every instance I noted the only fish carried to the young 

 were sand-eels or launce [Ammodytes lanceolatus) . 



It is stated by Howard Saunders in his Manual, that the food 

 of the Razorbill " consists of small fish, which are carried 

 diagonally in the bill — not at right-angles, as in the Puffin." 

 And Dr. Patten, in his Aquatic Birds of Great Britain and 

 Ireland, also remarks that sprats, carried diagonally in the 

 beak, form the principal diet. 



The sand-eel forms the chief food of the Razorbill and 

 Puffin at the Scilly Islands, and it may be that only this 

 particular kind of fish is held by the Razorbill in the way 

 shown in the drawing, which is the only position I have seen it 

 held by both the Puffin and Razorbill. It would be very 

 interesting to learn ho\\; the Razorbill contrives to fill its 

 bill with so many fish at once. Does it catch and kill or 

 disable one before catching another ? If they are held alive 

 how does it manage to catch one after the other without 

 loosing the hold of those already in the bill ? Considering 

 that sand-eels are remarkably rapid in their movements, it 

 must require even greater rapidity and skill on the part of 

 the Razorbill to catch them in the way it does. 



Unlike the Cormorant, Shag, and many other aquatic birds, 

 the Razorbill uses its wings under water ; in fact, while fishing 

 it flies under the surface, and this is a great aid in securing its 

 prey. The disproportionately small size of the wings of the 

 Razorbill, Guillemot, and Puffin renders them especially 

 well adapted for use under water. Although the wings of 

 these birds are so small in proportion to the bulk and weight 

 of their bodies, it is remarkable how rapidly they fly when once 

 well on the wing, but in rising from the surface of the water 

 they spread out their feet laterally. The following weights 

 and measurements of these three species I took directly after 

 shooting them : — 



Razorbill." — Expanse of wing varying from 25 inches to 

 27J inches ; wing from carpal joint to tip of longest primary 

 from 7 1 inches to 8 inches ; total length from 16 inches to 

 16J inches ; weight from 1 lb. 3^^ ozs. to 1 lb. 6 ozs. 



Guillemot. — Expanse of wing varying from 24| inches to 

 27J inches ; wing from 7^ inches to 7f inches ; total length 

 from 16 inches to 17 J inches ; weight from 1 lb. 11 ozs. to 

 1 lb. 13 ozs. 



