GUILLEMOTS, RAZORBILL, ETC. 141 



situated on the ocean cliffs, such as contain plenty 

 of nooks and crannies being preferred to those 

 of a more wall-like character. It is possibly due to 

 this that the Razorbill's colonies are never so 

 crowded as those of the Guillemot, and that the 

 birds are more scattered along the coastline. 

 There can be little doubt that the Razorbill pairs 

 for life. As a proof of this I have known a Puffin 

 burrow resorted to yearly, whilst eggs possessing 

 certain peculiarities of form and colour have 

 repeatedly been taken from one nook in the cliffs, 

 years and years in succession. Like the Guillemot 

 the Razorbill makes no nest, but lays its single egg 

 in a crevice or hole in the cliffs, or far under stacks 

 of rock, poised one upon another, where to reach 

 it is an utter impossibility. Like most birds that 

 breed in such situations, the Razorbill is much more 

 loth to quit its egg than the Guillemot, often 

 remaining upon it until captured. When alarmed 

 by man the birds may be heard scrambling amongst 

 the crevices, and uttering their grunting cries of 

 remonstrance. 



The single egg of the Razorbill, though not 

 displaying a tithe of the variety observed in that 

 of the Guillemot, is a remarkably handsome object. 

 The ground colour varies through every tint 

 between white and reddish-brown, and the hand- 

 some large blotches and spots are dark liver-brown, 

 reddish-brown, gray, or grayish-brown. No shade 

 of green or blue is ever apparent upon them 



