176 REPORT ON THE MIGRATION OF BIRDS. 



Taskar Rock, — July 24th, one young Razorbill; first this 

 year. 



Rathlin Idand. — April 6th, flocks resting on the sea. Aug. 

 22nd, Razorbills leaving island. 



Blackrock, Mayo. — April 30th, Razorbills all day; wind 

 fresh, W. 



Clare Island, — March 21st, about fifty " Razorbill-puffins " ; 

 25th, Puffins (Razorbills ?) in large numbers. 



Tearaght. — March 23rd, Razorbills arrived. May 7th, came 

 on island as plentiful as in previous years. About this date 

 (July 31st) both old and young are mostly gone. During the 

 past fortnight both old and young could be heard on the water 

 at night. A few evenings ago I observed a young bird crying on 

 the water ; the old one was soon beside it, both going seaward, 

 when the old bird made a little dive, and rose exactly under the 

 young one, so that it was nicely poised on its back. In this way 

 both headed the waves, and were lost in the distance. On the 

 following evenings I kept a good look out, and saw several 

 instances of the same kind ; and on no occasion did I observe 

 the young birds to fall off, though the sea was pretty rough. 

 Last seen on Aug. 14th. Sept. 16th, two old and two young 

 appeared, swimming S. Dec. 7th, young Razorbills; wind 

 W. ; very strong, high sea. A's many as two or three 

 hundred may be seen almost every day, especially in stormy 

 weather. Having procured a specimen of the bird I called a 

 " Mackerel-cock " (see fifth Report, pp. 89 and 128), I find it is 

 the young Razorbill. [Specimen sent. — R. M. B. ; shot, 13th, 

 Jan., 1885.J It comes here every winter, and not a single old 

 bird is to be found amongst them; nor one of them among the 

 old birds in summer. 



Skelligs. — March 20th, Razorbills first seen on rock. July 

 20th, noticed young fledged Razorbills leaving rock. Aug. 5th, 

 all left, with one or two exceptions. Nov. 27th, great numbers 

 of the " Black-billed Auk " ; noticed flights of them for the past 

 fortnight, flying S., mostly in the afternoon. They left on 2nd 

 March, 1885, except one or two, seen on 16th inst. They only 

 come close to the rock in wild weather. In my former report I 

 called this bird the Razorbill ; but it answers the description of 

 the Black-billed Auk, in the ' Dictionary of British Birds.' 

 [Doubtless the young Ra->~ rbill, which was erroneously regarded 



