7 io THE BIRDS OF YORKSHIRE. 



he had found similarly marked specimens on the same spot 

 for fourteen years in succession. Incubation lasts about 

 thirty days, and young birds appear on the ledges by the 

 middle of June, an exceptionally early date being the 5th 

 of that month. 



The method of climbing for sea-birds' eggs is fully dscribed 

 under the heading of the Guillemot, p. 710 etseq., and, as it 

 is applicable to this bird also, there is no need for further 

 explanation. The manner in which the young are conveyed 

 down to the sea is also similar to that adopted by the Guillemot. 



The Yorkshire cliffs are justly celebrated for the wonderful 

 beauty of their Razorbills' eggs ; Henry Marr of Bempton 

 took a perfectly black specimen several years ago off the 

 " Dor " ; some of a deep chocolate hue are in the collections 

 of Yorkshire naturalists ; especially fine examples are ticked 

 with minute black spots; others have deep black blotches 

 on a brown ground; a peculiar variety is heavily marked 

 all over with very large lilac coloured blotches, on top of which 

 are smaller deep black blotches, the ground colour being 

 creamy white ; spotless examples of a pale green colour 

 are known, and perfectly white eggs have been taken, one 

 so recently as June 1904. The thieving Jackdaw plays sad 

 havoc with the Razorbills' eggs ; one of the best specimens 

 John Hodgson, the Bempton " dimmer," has seen was deep 

 chocolate brown, and, as he showed me the half-eaten 

 remains, he vowed vengeance against " those rascally Jacks." 



The Razorbill is not subject to great variation in plumage, 

 though examples have occurred at long intervals. Mr. 

 J. H. Gurney has one in his collection, taken at Flamborough 

 in January 1875, in ordinary winter dress, with bill, legs, and 

 feet yellow, but the dark portions of the plumage somewhat 

 paler than in normal specimens. An immature bird with fawn- 

 coloured back is mentioned by the Rev. J. G. Tuck (ZooL 

 1876, p. 4758), and one with white wings was observed at 

 Buckton Hill on I7th March 1902. 



The vernacular names now in use are : Auk, at Flam- 

 borough and Bempton ; Sea- Auk, at Scarborough ; and 

 Bogey, at Redcar. 



