RAZOR-BILL. 107 



blackish ; lower throat and rest of under surface of body dull 

 whitish ; sides of body like the back. 



The first plumage, after the downy stage, is black above, 

 including the sides of the face and sides of neck, the black 

 extending across the lower throat ; under surface of body 

 white, the lower flanks with dusky tips ; along the upper edge 

 of the lores is a very narrow line of white ; the bill is black, 

 very narrow, and shows a white " nail " on the end. 



Adult Male. General colour above black, including the 

 wings and tail, the secondaries tipped with white, form- 

 ing a band ; entire sides of face and sides of neck velvety- 

 brown, occupying the upper part of the throat, but ex- 

 tending in a well-defined line down the sides of the latter 

 across to the sides of the upper breast, leaving the white 

 of the lower throat and fore-neck to end in a blunt triangle ; 

 entire under surface from the lower throat downwards, pure 

 white, the fore-part of the tibia brown ; under wing-coverts 

 and axillaries white ; a distinct line of white running from the 

 base of the culmen along the upper lores to the middle of the 

 eye ; " bill black, with a curved transverse white line in the 

 centre on each side ; legs, feet, and claws brownish black ; iris 

 hazel" (Seebohm). Total length, 15 inches; culmen, 1*4; 

 wing, 7 '3; tail* 3*0; tarsus, 1*2; middle toe and claw, 1*8. 



Adult Female. Similar to the male. Total length, 1 6 inches ; 

 wing, 7-2. 



Adult in Winter Plumage. Similar to the summer plumage as 

 regards the upper surface, but having no blackish brown on the 

 throat ; the feathers of the lores dark brown, extending back- 

 wards in a band below the eye across the ear-coverts ; area 

 behind the eye white, extending over the sides of the neck, and 

 including the whole of the cheeks and the entire throat and 

 under surface of the body ; the white line along the upper edge 

 of the lores very indistinct, but still traceable; the bill with 

 ridges and the transverse white line. 



Young in Winter Plumage. Similar to the adult in winter 

 plumage, but always to be distinguished by its smaller and 

 narrower bill without vertical ridges; the white loral line is 

 either obsolete or scarcely traceable. 



