288 THE BIRDS OF SUSSEX. 



been obtained on the Sussex coast^ and lately come into his 

 possession. It belongs to the Atlantic Ocean. Of its breeding 

 habits little is known. Mr. Godman, in his 'Natural 

 History of the Azores/ says (p. 40) : — " On returning from 

 Flores to Fayalj we were becalmed for some hours ; and as there 

 were a good many Petrels flying about, I took the boat be- 

 longing to the schooner and shot some. They were all of 

 this [Wilson's] species, nor did I see any other in the archi- 

 pelago. In flying they carry their legs stretched straight out 

 behind them, and their feet protruded about an inch beyond 

 the tail, producing the effect of two long tail-feathers. I 

 know nothing about this species breeding in the archipelago, 

 though I suspect it does, as it remains throughout the year.'' 



RAZOE-BILL. 



Alca torda. 



The Eazor-bill, known also as the Parrot-billed Willock 

 and the Tinkershere, is found around our coast in every 

 season of the year, but very few appear to breed on the 

 Sussex cliffs at the present time, though they are often met 

 with in the Channel. It breeds in vast numbers on Flam- 

 borough Head, preferring the highest ledges in the most lofty 

 parts of the cliff; it makes no nest, but places its single egg 

 on the bare rock. In June 1881, I was told by the boatmen 

 there that they frequently laid their eggs in a deep cleft of 

 the chalk, where they are very difficult to get at. On the 

 cliffs and on the sea were many hundreds of these birds, and 

 they were so tame that they suffered themselves to be nearly 

 touched with an oar, when they merely dived, and generally 

 came to the surface on the other side of the boat. It is a 



