THE RAZORBILL 269 



As our fishing " cobble " dances lightly over the swelling 

 sea, bending to the breeze which bellies out the big brown 

 sail on this bright June morning, we are sure to meet with 

 the Eazorbill, especially as the coast we have just left is a 

 rocky one, and precipitous islands are in the neighbourhood. 

 What a grand imposing wall of cliffs the brave old headland 

 looks, now that we can see its lofty sides and wide extending 

 range of cliffs in one unbroken outline ! How noisy the 

 Kittiwakes are this morning, clustering thickly on the lower 

 rocks, and what an animated scene the steepest parts of the 

 cliffs present ! Parties of the birds we are in quest of keep 

 going and returning ; dotted thickly over the sea, we see 

 them swimming lightly, their pure white underparts glistening 

 in the sun as the big waves lift them up on their curling 

 crests. They are by no means shy; no noisy oars alarm 

 them as they rattle in the rowlocks ; we are allowed to 

 approach within a few yards and admire the beautiful con- 

 trast of their smoke-brown and brilliant white plumage, and 

 deep black beaks, crossed with a narrow white line. At a 

 glance we can see that the true home of the Eazorbill is in 

 the water. Watch yonder bird turning his head from side 

 to side as he swims rapidly ahead of our boat, which must be 

 going a dozen knots an hour. See how quickly he can turn ; 

 how deftly he throws the salt water over himself. Watch 

 him closely ; he is sure to dive directly. Ah ! there he goes 

 like a flash under the surface ; and to what a depth he must 

 have descended, for several moments elapse before he rises 

 again a few yards farther on, the water running off his back 

 in beads that glint like diamonds in the sun. There, away 

 on our port -bow, a Eazorbill is sitting fast asleep on the 

 rolling waves, floating like a cork ; another and another are 

 swimming rapidly about, ever and anon diving in quest of 

 their finny prey. We are nearing the shoal of fish now, and 

 the birds crowd thickly on every side. Bird after bird dives 



