206 BULLETIN 107, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 
Behavior—While on Bird Rock, where I could easily compare all 
three species in flight, I learned to recognize the two murres and the 
razorbills by their shapes and attitudes on the wing. The razor- 
bill is the shortest and most thick set of the three; it holds itself 
very compactly, with the head well drawn in and the bill pointing 
straight forward; the head, body, and tail are all in a straight line. 
The common murre on the other hand, carries its long neck and head 
outstretched, but dropped somewhat below the level of the body. 
The Briinnich’s murre is intermediate between the two, in this re- 
spect. All three of these species sway from side to side in flight, 
showing white breasts and black backs alternately. Their flight is 
swift and direct, accomplished by very rapid wing strokes. Doctor 
Townsend (1907) has noted that, as the razorbills “fly away, they 
show white on either side of a black median line, while the puffin 
shows a continuous black back.” Morris (1903) gives, a quotation 
from Meyer, regarding their behavior while migrating, as follows: 
During these migrations an interesting circumstance may be observed, 
namely, that when the several divisions or groups of a flock descend upon the 
sea to rest themselves, the parties that are behind alight some distance in 
advance of those that first settled, so that when the first-arrived parties have 
recruited their strength and taken wing again, the later-arrived groups having 
alighted so much in advance, have had time to rest themselves also, and are 
prepared in their turn to follow in the train of their former leaders as soon 
as these have passed over. 
The razor-billed auk swims lightly and swiftly on the surface, 
with its head retracted and its tail pointed upward. It dives quickly 
and strongly, partially opening its wings as it plunges forward and 
downward. Like all of the Alcidae, it uses its wings freely in 
“flying” under water, making great speed with the wings only half 
extended. Mr. Edmund Selous (1905), who has had excellent op- 
portunities for studying this, says: 
Razorbills also dive briskly, opening the wings * * *, One remarks then 
that the wings are moved both together—flapped or beaten—so that the bird 
really flies through the water. In flight, however, they are spread straight 
out without a bend in them, whereas here they are all the while flexed at the 
joint, wing raised from and brought downward again toward the sides in the 
same position in which they repose against them when closed. 
It can dive to great depths, swim for long distances, and remain 
under water for a long time. 
The vocal performances of the razor-billed auk are not elaborate. 
On its breeding grounds it indulges in occasional hoarse guttural 
notes or low croaking sounds, which are not audible at any consider- 
able distance. During its courtship, which has apparently never 
been described, it may have a more varied or interesting vocabulary. 
Morris (1903) says “the note is likened to the syllables ‘arr’ and 
‘odd,’ also to ‘ hurr-ray.’” 
