262 THE RAZOR-BILL. 



the hands of the fowler. They are in Norway 

 taken for their feathers, which are valuable," 



Social as they appear, and attentive to their 

 young, there yet seems to be a curious exception 

 occasionally occurring towards the close of the 

 breeding-season, w r hen, on their departure, the 

 broods of the latter hatches are left a prey for 

 the Peregrine Falcon, who watches at the mouth of 

 the holes, and seizes the poor starving nestlings, 

 when compelled through hunger to quit their inner- 

 chambers, thus escaping the lingering pains of fa- 

 mine by a more violent and immediate death. 



With respect to the Razor-bills and Guillemots, 

 we shall again refer our readers to the same rock- 

 scenery of the South Stack, already noticed in our 

 observations on Gulls, where, as on a stage of Na- 

 ture's theatre, we have often watched their motions 

 from the verge of a projecting little promontory, or 

 arm of rock, immediately facing a precipice beyond 

 the reach of human intrusion, intersected by innu- 

 merable fissures, crevices, ledges, and shelves, ad- 

 mirably adapted for tenants requiring such accom- 

 modations, and where, accordingly, an army of 

 Razor-bills and Guillemots have taken up their 

 position, almost, though not entirely, to the exclu- 

 sion of the Gulls ; and therein, as if conscious of 

 their safety, (it being an inviolable rule never to 



/ 7 \ O 



disturb them,) they carry on their usual occupations 

 with the most perfect unconcern, permitting an 

 observer to enter fully into their domestic arrange- 

 ments. 



At our last visit, closely jammed, in a lateral 

 niche just opposite, sat seventy-two Guillemots, all 



