202 BULLETIN 107, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 
forced to the conclusion that the large breeding colonies of the 
Alcidae had been nearly, if not quite, annihilated on “the Labrador.” 
A few pairs of razor-billed auks may still breed on some of the 
islands off the southern coast of Labrador or perhaps in the extreme 
north of Labrador there may be some small colonies, but the only 
colony of any size still remaining is on that impregnable sea birds’ 
stronghold, Bird Rock; on this famous crag, much of which is in- 
accessible, the sea birds are well protected by nature and by man; 
here they will probably make their last stand or perhaps, let us hope, 
be perpetuated for future generations within easy reach of civili- 
zation. 
Nesting.—When we visited Bird Rock in 1904 we estimated that 
the total population was about 10,000 birds, of which about 1,800 
were razor-billed auks; the auks apparently outnumbered either one 
species of murre, but not the two species combined, and were exceeded 
in abundance only by the gannets and the kittiwakes. The strong- 
holds of the auks were mainly on the upper ledges, near the top of 
the rock, where they had crawled into every available crevice or 
cavity and under every overhanging rock to lay their single eggs. 
Occasionally a razorbill’s egg could be found on the open ledges with 
the murres, or in the entrance to a puffin burrow, but, as a rule, they 
were more or less concealed or under cover. The razorbills were the 
tamest, the least suspicious, and the most sociable, or perhaps, I 
should say inquisitive, of all the birds on the rock; I need only sit 
still for a few moments in the vicinity of their nests, when they 
would begin to gather on all the surrounding rocks in small parties, 
eyeing me with curiosity, waddling awkwardly about and making a 
faint guttural sound. They certainly looked very attractive in their 
sleek coats of dark seal brown and pure white breasts; occasionally 
one would open its mouth, showing the rich yellow interior, a marked 
color contrast which adds brilliancy to its courtship display. I 
noticed that whereas both the auks and murres usually sit in an 
upright position, while perched on the ledges, they assume the normal 
horizontal position, as other birds do, while incubating on their 
eggs; moreover, there is*a bare space in the center of the breast of an 
incubating bird in which the egg is held horizontally and lengthwise. 
Although the egg is often laid on a bed of small stones, I doubt if the 
stones are ever placed there for that purpose by: the birds, as more 
often the egg is laid on the bare rough rock without any attempt at 
nest building. 
Audubon (1840) found these auks, on the south coast of Labrador, 
breeding in deep and narrow fissures in the rocks. 
One place in particular was full of birds; it was an horizontal fissure, about 
2 feet in height, and 80 or 40 yards in depth. We crawled slowly into it, and 
as the birds affrighted flew hurriedly past us by hundreds, many of their eggs 
were smashed. 
