BIRDS OF THE UNITED STATES. 
93 
Plate XVII. 
UTAMANIA TORDA, (Lmy.), Leach. 
Razor-billed Auk. 
The Razok-billed Aek, owing to its boreal residence, is not so Avell 
known as many other marine species which breed nearer home. Like 
its few intimate cousins, it is chiefly restricted to Arctic regions, only 
coming southward when pressed by severe weather. 
Though ap]3arently the best known of its family, yet many of the 
details of its habits are lacking to render its biograjihy anything like 
complete. Of its area of distribution we are tolerably well-informed. In 
the morth-eastern portions of North America, particularly along the sea- 
borders of Labrador and Newfoundland, it is quite plentiful, and thence 
occasionally strays along the coast-lines of New England and the Middle 
States during the winter. These birds, however, are not confined to this 
continent, but are identical Avith the bird of the northern regions of the 
Old World. 
According to Mr. Cory, who has studied them in their haunts, they 
are remarkably abundant and prolific on some of the Magdalen Islands, 
Bird Rock and Byron Island especially, where the young birds were 
observed in their downy robes of black and white. 
Visiting the United States only in small numbers during the inclem- 
ency of winter, its ^predilection for the northern homes of its fathers — when 
the mild breath of spring in its upward march from the South has tem- 
pered Avith mercy the reign of old Boreas in his rocky, ice-bound fast- 
nesses — induces it to take its departure, and Avend its longing flight 
thither. 
