RAZOR-BILL. 401 



her parental affection deserved a better fate, was whipped down by the 

 twigs, which brought her dead to the ground." 



The sable plumage, and harsh croaking voice of these birds, added 

 to their habits and supposed longevity, have furnished the poets of all 

 ages with numerous similitudes. The Moor of Venice says — 

 " It comes o'er my memory, 



As doth the Raven o'er the infected house, 

 Boding to all — " 



which, no doubt, alludes to this bird's supposed habits of flying over 

 the house containing a person whose dissolution is at hand. " In fine 

 weather," says Selby, " Ravens fly at a considerable height, and per- 

 form various rapid evolutions. While thus engaged, they utter a 

 peculiar and quickly-repeated note, unlike their usual coarse and dis- 

 agreeable croak." * 



They sometimes breed on our rocky coasts, where they choose the 

 most inacessible places for nidification. At this time they are exces- 

 sively bold, and will not even suffer the falcon to approach their nest 

 unpunished. The male and female pair for life, and drive their young 

 from their haunt as soon as they are able to provide for themselves. It 

 is sometimes found quite white or pied. 



RAZOR-BILL (Alca Torda, Linnaeus.) 



Alca Torda, Linn. Syst. I. p. 210. 1 GmeL Syst. 2. p. 551. — Lath. Ind. Orn. 



2. p. 793. 5 Briss. 6. p. 892. t. 8. f. 1 lb. 8vo. 2. p. 383 Flem. Br. Anim. 



p. 130.— Temm. Man. d'Orn. 2. p. 936.— Alca Hoieri, Rail,. Syn. p. 119. A. 3. 

 — Will. p. 243. t. 64, 65 Le Pingoin, Buf. Ois. 9. p. 390. t. 27 Razor- 

 bill, Auk, Murre, Marrot, Br. Zool. 2. No. 230. t. 82 lb. fol. 136 Ldw. t. 



358. f. 2 — Lath. Syn. 5. p. 319.— Ib. Supp. p. 264.— Lewins Br. Birds, 6. t. 



224.— Don. Br. Birds, 3. t. 64.— Wale. Syn. 1. t. 84 Pult. Cat. Dorset, p. 17. 



—Mont. Orn. Diet.— Falk, Martin, St. Kilda, p. 61. 



YOUNG. 



Alca pica, Gmel. Syst. 1. p. 551. 2 Black-billed Auk, Penn. Arct. Zool. 2. p. 



510. 426 — Lath. Syn. 6. p. 320.— Mont. Orn. Diet, and Supp* 



This species weighs about twenty-seven ounces ; length eighteen 



inches ; bill two inches long from the corner of the mouth, much 



compressed sideways ; three quarters of an inch deep at the largest 



part, much arched, and hooked at the end of the upper mandible ; it 



is furnished with three transverse furrows ; the middle one is white, 



and crosses the whole bill ; irides light hazel : the head, chin, throat, 



and whole upper parts are dusky-black, with a strong tinge of a dusty 



hue on the sides of the head and throat; the quill-feathers are also 



dashed with cinereous on the outer webs ; the greater coverts and 



secondaries tipped with white, forming a narrow band across the wing ; 



from the ridge of the upper mandible is a narrow line of white feathers, 



which continue to the eye on each side ; the under parts from the 



D D 



