376 BRITISH BIRDS. 



in winter on the American coast as far south as New York^ and in Europe 

 as far south as Gibraltar^ frequently entering the Mediterranean, and 

 occasionally straggling as far east as Sicily. The Razorbill has no very 

 near ally. 



Like the Guillemot and the Puffin, the Razorbill is a resident in the 

 British seas, but appears to be less numerous in winter than in summer, 

 because it is spread over a much wider area, and lives for the most part 

 out at sea. In its habits it very closely resembles the Guillemot, but it is 

 easily distinguished from that bird, even at a considerable distance, by its 

 deeper bill and conspicuous white stripe from the eye to the base. It is 

 gregarious at all times of the year, and in some places literally swarms. 

 In summer it comes to the rocky headlands and wild precipitous islets to 

 rear its young ; but from its partiality for clefts in the rocks rather than 

 ledges it is almost absent from many places where the Guillemot breeds in 

 great abimdance, as, for instance, the "Pinnacles" in the Fame Islands. 

 The Razorbill is most at home in the water, where it vies even with the 

 fish in activity and rapidity of movement. It floats on the heaving waves 

 light and buoyant as a cork, sitting well out of the water, its head and 

 neck raised high above its back, very similar to a Duck or a Diver. It 

 swims with ease, paddling along at times very quickly, and often indulges 

 in a frolic in the water, splashing about with its wings, chasing its com- 

 panions, and being chased by them in turn. It often sleeps on the water, 

 tossed about seemingly at the mercy of the waves, but quite safe, even in 

 the roughest water. It is by no means a shy bird, and frequently allows 

 a boat or a vessel to approach it within a few yards ere it takes wing or 

 dives. Like the Guillemot and the Puffin, it is an expert diver, vanishing 

 from view with great rapidity, leaving tiny air- bubbles to mark the place 

 of its descent. It dives for a considerable distance below the surface, 

 either in pursuit of a small fish or to search for crustaceans and mollusks 

 hiding in the crevices of the rocks and amongst the seaweed at the bottom. 

 The Razorbill, in spite of its narrow and comparatively small wings, flies 

 well, but does not rise very easily from the water, generally splashing 

 along for a few yards ere it gets well into the air. It never appears 

 to fly about like the Puffin, and when it leaves its perch on the rocks 

 generally darts headlong down into the sea, and, when leaving the 

 water, soon makes for the rocks ai^jain. The flight is performed by 

 rapid and incessant beatings of the wings. The Razorbill is a clumsy 

 object on the land, and very rarely attempts to walk far, progressing in 

 a hobbling kind of way. This hh\\ often goes long distances to feed, 

 and then its flight can be seen to perfection, as the little troop of birds, 

 usually in single file, pass rapidly along just above the surface of the 

 waves. 



The food of the Razorbill is composed principally of small fish, especially 



