248 Canadian Record of Science. 



was shot by a man named Leclaire. I saw this specimen 

 after it was mounted, and, judging by its bill, which is 

 not fully developed, it is a young bird, as the bill of the 

 adult, as seen in the specimen in the collection of this 

 Society, has grooves, crossed about the middle by a white 

 bar, whereas, the bill of the young is smaller, without 

 grooves, and lacks the white bar. I believe this is the 

 first record of the Eazor-Billed Auk occurring in the 

 district about Montreal. This species is the only one of 

 its genus found in North America. It is common in the 

 Gulf of St. Lawrence, and breeds there on the Bird 

 Rocks in company with the Murres, a closely allied 

 species, and as the latter bird, in November, 1893, passed up 

 the St. Lawrence river in remarkable numbers, it is very 

 likely that a few of the former species were induced to 

 follow them far inland, out of their natural habitat. The 

 Razor-Billed Auk, Alca torda (Linn), belongs to the Order 

 Pygopodes — the Diving Birds (Sub-order, Cepphi), Family 

 Alcida? — the Auks, Murres, etc., Genus Alca Linnceus. 

 Their habitat stretches along the coasts of the North 

 Atlantic, south, in winter, to southern New England, 

 breeding from Eastern Maine north ward (See fiidgway's 

 Manual of North American Birds,) 



Notes on Special Migrations, 



By J. B. Williams. 



There are several instances of irregular migrations on 

 record, which are worthy of notice in connection with the 

 two described in Mr. Wintle's paper. 



Their cause has been usually ascribed either to a great 

 increase in numbers, or to a sudden scarcity of food. 



The migrations of the Leming (Mxls lemmus) in Lapland, 

 which occur every ten or twelve years, are probably 

 examples of the first, while the descent of Antelopes from 



