264 THE RAZOR-BILL. 



bird by the head with both his claws, and made 

 towards the land, his prisoner croaking, screaming, 

 and struggling lustily ; and, being a heavy bird, so 

 far incommoded or over-balanced its aggressor, that 

 both descended fast towards the sea ; when, just as 

 they touched the water, the Hawk let go his hold, 

 and ascended, the Razor-bill as instantaneously 

 diving below. 



Amidst the myriads of old ones, we looked in 

 vain for anything like a corresponding number of 

 young, but scarcely a single individual was to be 

 seen. It is true, that the females produce only one 

 egg ; but still that could not account for the small 

 number visible : we could only, therefore, suspect, 

 from certain friendly croakings uttered by. the old 

 ones, when turning their heads towards little chinks, 

 the extremities of which were invisible, that the in- 

 fant birds were kept in the back-ground ; and well 

 they were so, for otherwise, in the constant disturb- 

 ances, and tumblings, incessantly taking place, the 

 whole rising generation must inevitably have broken 

 their necks in the confusion, by falling over, before 

 they were able to fly. But a greater surprise was 

 excited, by perceiving, in the midst of the bustle, a 

 solitary egg here and there lying on the bare rock, 

 within a few inches of the edge. By what care or 

 instinct was it preserved from falling? It has been 

 said that, if they are removed by a human hand, it 

 is impossible, or at least extremely difficult, to re- 

 place them in their former situation ; whence it has 

 been inferred, that they are glued by some secret 

 cement to the rock. Some of our ablest naturalists, 

 however, doubt this ; but if it is not so, the mystery 



