RAZORBILE 469 
Auks are endowed with remarkable diving-powers ; they 
use their wings under water, not simply as a fish uses its 
fins for steering-purposes, but by means of rapid vibrations, 
as powerful propelling organs. In fact these birds may be 
said to fly under water. When swimming or resting on the 
surface, the Razorbill erects its little pointed tail, a mark by 
which it can be distinguished from the Common Guillemot 
at a fair distance with the aid of a good field-glass. But 
even with the unaided eye, their distinctive characteristics 
can usually be made out, as, unless the birds are much 
molested, they are not notably shy. Only occasionally is 
the Razorbill met with on fresh water, though violent storms 
will drive numbers far inland. 
Flight.—Considering the bulky and rather heavy build 
of this species, its flight is swift and at times even buoyant ; 
the wings, though small, are strongly-framed and the flight- 
feathers are tough and well-pointed. 
‘Wisps’ of Razorbills may be seen skimming along the 
waves and then ascending several hundred feet into the 
air; these movements may be observed in mid-channel, but 
the flight is best studied as the birds ply to and fro between 
cliff and sea. 
From the top of a lofty headland I have seen them stay 
their flight and actually hover momentarily during descent 
with their wings almost meeting over their backs, remind- 
ing one of the pose of domestic pigeons about to alight on 
a house-top or other building. 
Voice.—The voice, heard for the most part at the breed- 
ing-colonies, resembles a softly-produced and rather mourn- 
ful grunt ; the young utter a plaintive, mellow, kitten-like 
mew, when they first reach the water, especially when their 
parents dive from out their sight. 
Food.—The Razorbill, like all Auks, is decidedly pis- 
pieces by the larger Gulls and Skuas, dashed against the rocks, or, 
escaping such violent measures, being left to linger wave-tossed on the 
sea, until the tide determined their course and deposited them, dead or 
in a dying state, upon the beach, where their remains were quickly dis- 
posed of by rats, gulls, and other scavengers. It seems evident that 
these Auks, on descending below the surface of the water, encountered 
the tremendous vortex produced by the paddle-wheels, amid the spokes 
of which they became entangled, and their rapidly-moving wings and 
legs were fractured ere they could manage to free themselves from this 
boiling eddy. Such bird-fatalities have been greatly diminished since 
the introduction of screw-steamers, the birds swimming alongside the 
vessel, being able to dive without apparently encountering injury. 
