RAZORBILL 469 



Auks are endowed with remarkable diving-powers ; they 

 use their wings under water, not simply as a fish uses its 

 fins for steering-purposes, but by means of rapid vibrations, 

 as powerful propelling organs. In fact these birds may be 

 said to fly under water. When swimming or resting on the 

 surface, the Kazorbill erects its little pointed tail, a mark by 

 which it can be distinguished from the Common Guillemot 

 at a fair distance with the aid of a good field-glass. But 

 even with the unaided eye, their distinctive characteristics 

 can usually be made out, as, unless the birds are much 

 molested, they are not notably shy. Only occasionally is 

 the Razorbill met with on fresh water, though violent storms 

 will drive numbers far inland. 



Flight. Considering the bulky and rather heavy build 

 of this species, its flight is swift and at times even buoyant ; 

 the wings, though small, are strongly-framed and the flight- 

 feathers are tough and well-pointed. 



' Wisps ' of Razorbills may be seen skimming along the 

 waves and then ascending several hundred feet into the 

 air ; these movements may be observed in mid-channel, but 

 the flight is best studied as the birds ply to and fro between 

 cliff and sea. 



From the top of a lofty headland I have seen them stay 

 their flight and actually hover momentarily during descent 

 with their wings almost meeting over their backs, remind- 

 ing one of the pose of domestic pigeons about to alight on 

 a house-top or other building. 



Voice. The voice, heard for the most part at the breed- 

 ing-colonies, resembles a softly-produced and rather mourn- 

 ful grunt ; the young utter a plaintive, mellow, kitten-like 

 mew, when they first reach the water, especially when their 

 parents dive from out their sight. 



Food. The Razorbill, like all Auks, is decidedly pis- 

 pieces by the larger Gulls and Skuas, dashed against the rocks, or, 

 escaping such violent measures, being left to linger wave-tossed on the 

 sea, until the tide determined their course and deposited them, dead or 

 in a dying state, upon the beach, where their remains were quickly dis- 

 posed of by rats, gulls, and other scavengers. It seems evident that 

 these Auks, on descending below the surface of the water, encountered 

 the tremendous vortex produced by the paddle-wheels, amid the spokes 

 of which they became entangled, and their rapidly-moving wings and 

 legs were fractured ere they could manage to free themselves from this 

 boiling eddy. Such bird-fatalities have been greatly diminished since 

 the introduction of screw-steamers, the birds swimming alongside the 

 vessel, being able to dive without apparently encountering injury. 



