474 



THE DIVING BIRDS — Py(JOPODES. 



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winter. It is found on the western coast of Europe in the winter as far south as the 

 Mediterranean. It is present on the Arctic coast of Asia ; but so far as I am aware 

 has never been taken on tlie I'acitic shores of Asia or America, with the exception of 

 the singh^ Japanese record of Sclilegel. 



According to Professor Keinhardt, the Kazor-bill is a resident of Groenhmd. It is 

 also given by Middendorlf as being found in tlie extreme nortliern portions of Sibe- 

 ria. It was met witli on the coast of Spain, as well as on the shores of th(> Mediter- 

 ranean, by Mr. Saunders, but it was very rare. This is still a not uncionimon species 

 at Grand Menan and on otlier rocky islands in the Bay of Fundy. During the win- 

 ter it wanders down along tlie Atlantic sea-coast as far as Long Island, where, ac(H)rd- 

 ing to Giraud, it has been occasionally observed, but is not common. During the 

 winter months an occasional bird of this species is exposed for sale in the Boston 

 and New York nuirkets, but it is nearly valueless for food. 



The Kazor-bill is an oceanic bird, having in many of its habits considerable resem- 

 blance to the Divers. It swims and dives with wonderful ease, and feeds upon small 

 fish and crustaceans. In most respects, also, its habits are identical with those of the 

 Guillemots and Mormons. Except during the breeding-season, when congregating in 

 immense nund)ers on its breeding-grounds, it is generally seen singly. It is said to 

 venture out farther from the shore, and to be able to dive in deeper water to collect 

 its food, than can any of its family. 



Audubon, in his voyage to Labrador, saw the Hazor-bill constantly, and observed 

 it fishing on banks where the water was eighteen fatlR)ms diicp. From the length of 

 time the bird remaincMl uiuler water he had no doubt that it dived to the bottom and 

 fed there. He was told that these birds arrives at tlu; Madeleine Islands — where 

 many of them breed — about tlie middhs of Ai)ril, while the Gulf of St. Lawrence is 

 still covered with ice. On his way to Labrador he noticed these birds every now and 

 then passing in long tiles, and flying, at tlu; height of a i.:\v ;;iv,is above the water, in 

 an undidating manner and with regular beat of the wing. Tliey often flew within 

 musket-shot of the vessel. 



He afterwards found this bird breeding in immense numbers on a small rocky island 

 in the harbor of Wa])atiguan, in deep and narrow fissures of the rocks. In order to 

 reach both the birds and their eggs, long poles, with hool;s at their extremities, were 

 made use of. In a small horizontal cavern about two feet in height, where many 

 were nesting, he found their eggs scattered at the distance of a t\'\v inches from (!ach 

 other ; and where they were in fissures of the I'ock, they lay close together, small 

 pebbles and broken stones being hea})ed up to the height of several inches so as to 

 allow the water to flow off beneath them. In such localities this Auk sits flat upon 

 its egg, in the manner of a Duck. When the single egg is deposited on an exposed 

 rock, ejudi bird stands almost ujjright ujion it. Audubon also states that in several 

 instances, where the parent bird was in a sheltered situation, he fcmnd her sitting 

 on two eggs. It is, however, probable that in sucdi cases the eggs were the produ(!t of 

 different birds nesting near each other. He also states that these birds begin early in 

 May to deposit their eggs ; but as their period of incubation is four weeks, and as it 

 was not until July that he found any yoimg birds, all of which were yet small, it is 

 probable ho named too early a period for the beginning of the time of incubation. 

 The young have tender unfornuul bills, are covered with down, and have a lisping 

 note. Their parents 8ui)plied them ])lentifully with shrimps and small bits of fisii. 

 They were on good terms one with the other, and did not quarrel, as do the PuHins. 

 When a finger was jdaced within their reoeh, they seized hold of it with their bills, 

 showing tiius early their tlesire to bite, so charaoteristin of their parents when these 



