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GUILLEMOTS, RAZORBILL, ETC. I4I 
situated on the ocean cliffs, such as contain plenty 
of nooks and crannies being preferred to those 
of a more wall-like character. It is possibly due to 
this that the Razorbill’s colonies are never so 
crowded as those of the Guillemot, and that the 
birds are more scattered along the coastline. 
There can be little doubt that the Razorbill pairs 
for life. Asa proof of this I have known a Puffin 
burrow resorted to yearly, whilst eggs possessing 
certain peculiarities of form and colour have 
repeatedly been taken from one nook in the cliffs, 
years and years in succession. Like the Guillemot 
the Razorbill makes no nest, but lays its single egg 
in a crevice or hole in the cliffs, or far under stacks 
of rock, poised one upon another, where to reach 
it is an utter impossibility. Like most birds that 
breed in such situations, the Razorbill is much more 
loth to quit its egg than the Guillemot, often 
remaining upon it until captured. When alarmed . 
by man the birds may be heard scrambling amongst 
the crevices, and uttering their grunting cries of 
remonstrance. 
_ The single egg of the Razorbill, though not 
displaying a tithe of the variety observed in that 
of the Guillemot, is a remarkably handsome object. 
The ground colour varies through every tint 
between white and reddish-brown, and the hand- 
some large blotches and spots are dark liver-brown, 
reddish-brown, gray, or grayish-brown. No shade 
of green or blue is ever apparent upon them 
