THE LITTLE ROTCHE, 
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specimen appears to have been taken in Britain, and that 
was in Orkney. 
The Little Rotche {Mergulus Alle), known also as the 
Little Auk, Little Guillemot, or Sea Dove. — This is the only 
species yet described of the genus Me7'gulus. Although inti- 
mately allied to the Auks and Guillemots, it cannot with 
propriety be placed in either of these genera, on account of 
the shortness, thickness, and peculiar convexity of its bill. 
Without much variety in the colours of its plumage, which 
are black, white, and grey, with a brownish tinge about the 
throat, fore neck, and wing-coverts, this may be called a 
pretty Kttle bird. Its length is a little over nine inches. 
Its habits have not been minutely described. In summer 
it is found in high northern latitudes, and, in winter, retires 
southward, along the coasts of both America and Europe, 
sometimes visiting our shores in considerable numbers. 
Macgillivray observed two individuals perched on the cliffs 
of the Bass Eock one day in the month of May, and it is 
said to breed at St. Abb's Head. Audubon describes its 
egg as remarkably large for the size of the bird, measuring 
nearly one inch and five- eighths in length ; it is of a dull, 
uniform, pale greenish brown. 
The Common Razor Bill {Utamnia Torda), sometimes 
called the Common Auk, Falc, Gurfel, Marrot, Murre. 
The Birds of the genus Utamnia differ from the Guil- 
lemots chiefly in the form of the bill, and in having the 
tail pointed. In every other respect, such as food, habits, 
&c., they are the same. The above is the only species which 
visits the shores of Britain ; it is distinguished mainly by its 
broad, compressed bill, somewhat resembling the blade of a 
knife. The head and upper part of the neck all round is 
brownish black; the upper parts of the body greenish 
black ; the lower parts white ; a narrow white line runs 
from the eye to the bill on each side ; across the bill are 
four grooves, one of which is white. The length of this bird 
is about seventeen inches and a half. It makes its appear- 
ance in autumn, in great numbers, in the bays and estu- 
aries of Scotland and England. As the season advances, 
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