108 BllITISH BIRDS, THEIR EGGS AND NESTS. 



pearance, in common, There is, however, a great difference both 

 in the shape and size and also in the colouring of the single egg 

 laid by the Razor-Bill, from that of the Willock. It is less in pio- 

 portion, less elongated, wants the infinite diversity of colouring 

 which characterises the egg of the latter, the ground-colour 

 being always whitish or white tinged with some light buffy shade, 

 and the spots and blotches, which are sufficiently abundant, are 

 some of a reddish or chestnut brown, others of a very deep rich 

 brown. Fig. 4, plate X, 



286. GREAT AUK (Alca impennis). 



Gair-Fowl. Not merely an exceedingly rare British bird, but 

 it is to be feared, extinct as a British species. Where it is yet in 

 existence it is said scarcely ever to leave the water, and it lays 

 its one large egg almost close to high-water mark. These eggs 

 are white in ground, or sometimes soiled or slightly yellowish- 

 white, blotched and streaked, most at the larger end, with black. 

 They somewhat resemble the Guillemot's egg in shape, but are 

 rather less elongated. The value of these eggs is almost 

 fabulous, sixty guineas* having been given for a couple of them. 

 I have to thank Mr. Champley, C.E., of Scarborough, for most 

 kindly sending me an engraving of a Great Auk's egg in his 

 possession, as well as for offering me access to his admirable col- 

 lection of eg^s, numbering upwards of 8000 specimens. 



IV. PELECANID^E. 



287. COMMON CORMORANT (Phalacrocorax carbo). 



Crested Cormorant, Corvorant, Great Black Cormorant, Cole 

 Goose, Skart. Wherever there are any traces of a rocky coast 

 about our island, there the Cormorant is pretty sure to be found, 

 so that he may very well be described as a common bird. Where 

 the rocky coast is not only extensive, but not liable to much 

 disturbance from human intrusion, these birds abound, and may 

 be seen in numbers and observed to anyone's heart's content. 

 They build their nests, which are of ample size, with sticks, sea- 

 weed and coarse herbage of any obtainable sort, on ledges of the 

 precipices ; and many nests are usually formed in the near neigh- 

 bourhood of each other. They are much disposed also to select 

 as the situation for their nests a rocky islet with cliffy sides, and 

 woe to the nose of anyone who approaches such an island-rock 

 from the leeward side. What from the nature of their food and 

 the abundance of their excrement, an intolerably fetid odour 

 always prevails about their breeding-place. The eggs vary in 

 number from four to six, and are almost entirely covered over with 

 a white chalky incrustation, which, however, admits of easy 

 removal by a knife or similar means, leaving a shell of a bluish- 

 green colour apparent. 



* Morris's Nests and Eggs of British Birds. 



