374 BRITISH BIRDS. 



to the size of the bird^ varying from 5'1 to 4*7 inch in length, and from 

 3"1 to 2*8 inch in breadth. The ground-colour is a creamy white, with 

 black or dark brown surface-markings and grey underlying spots. Most 

 of the eggs still remaining in collections resemble the common type of 

 eggs of the Razorbill, and are somewhat sparingly spotted, the markings 

 being largest and most irregular in shape round the large end. Of this 

 type the egg figured on Plate 40 is an unusually fine example. It was 

 formerly in the collection of Sir W. C. Trevelyan at Wallington, but is 

 now in the Oxford Museum. A much rarer type is that in which the 

 markings are principally streaks. The egg figured on Plate 41 is by far 

 the handsomest of the streaked eggs known to exist. It was formerly in 

 the possession of Lord Derby, but is now in the Liverpool Museum. 



The Great Auk is a giant Razorbill, though its wing is not quite so large 

 as that of its small ally. The shape of its bill is nearly the same, long, 

 high, and very narrow, with the same transverse ridges, though the white 

 grooves between them are less conspicuous. The general colours of the 

 plumage are the same, but the white line from the eye to the base of the 

 bill is expanded into a large oval patch. The sexes are alike, and, as in the 

 Razorbill, the black chin and throat changed, probably by a moult, into 

 white in autumn. In young in first plumage the feathers of the upper parts 

 have pale margins, the general colour of the plumage is browner, the white 

 patch on the sides of the face is only faintly indicated, the throat is brown 

 streaked with white, and the bill is smaller and without transverse ridges. 

 Young in down are said to have been dark grey. 



