230 RAZOR-BILL AUK. 



wings, and tail, are black ; tips of the secondaries 

 are white ; the breast, belly and under parts, white. 

 In the dress of winter, tha chin, throat and side* of 

 the neck, are white. 



THE RAZOR-BILL AUK. 



Alca torda. 



PLATE XVII. 



Alca torda, Linn. Le penguin macroptere, Temm. Razor- 

 bill, orMarrot of British authors. Alca pica, Linn. Black- 

 billed Auk (winter, and yowny.) 



THIS species is nearly equally abundant with the 

 Guillemot on all our coasts, and resembles it much 

 in habits, breeding in the same manner and gre- 

 gariously on the same rocks, appearing off our 

 shores and in our firths, during the winter in small 

 parties. These are easily approached in a boat ; but 

 they do not suffer it to get quite so close to them as 

 the guillemots, diving or taking wing at from twenty 

 to forty yards distance. The wings are propor- 

 tionally rather shorter, and the flight is performed 

 with more rapid strokes, but is, at the same time, 

 swift while it lasts ; and, except when seeking its 



