RAZOE-BILL.— GUILLEMOT. 289 



very silent bird, the only note I heard being an occasional 

 dull croak. In diving it uses its wings as if flying, pursuing 

 the fish under water, as well as taking them on the surface. 

 They are eaten by the fishermen, who bake them, after they 

 have been skinned and laid in fresh water. 



Mr. Booth states that he has frequently remarked that 

 during winter, " previous to the setting in of stormy weather 

 in the Channel, Razor-bills were exceedingly restless, 

 immense flocks of these and other Divers being seen on 

 wing making their way either east or west for several hours. 

 No general movement to any distance appeared to be taken ; 

 within a day or two the stream of birds would probably be 

 seen taking an opposite course. At times, when the fry of fish 

 are plentiful. ... I have seen these birds perfectly crammed 

 with food, snapping up the glittering morsels by merely 

 dipping their heads below the surface without diving. . . . 

 I am not acquainted with any breeding-stations of this 

 species . . . within many miles of the Sussex coast. . . . 

 That such still exist, however, is evident, as a fisherman who 

 was working his shrimp-net over the sands near Shoreham, on 

 9th of August 1883, captured in the shallow water a young- 

 one that had strayed some distance from the old bird.^^ 

 He further says that the fisherman took the young one 

 home, but his wife killed it, as it constantly cried for food. 

 Mr. Button says that the Razor-bill breeds on the cliffs 

 about Eastbourne {' Zoologist,' p. 9101). 



GUILLEMOT. 



Uria troile. 



Generally known as the Willock, formerly bred abundantly 

 on Beachy Head ; but owing to incessant persecution, there 



IT 



