17 
and of the under part of the neck had be- 
come white ; this latter state has been erro- 
niously considered by some authors as that 
of the immature bird/' 
This account of Capt. Sabine's, proves 
beyond a doubt, that there is a great dif- 
ference between the winter and summer 
plumage of these birds, and is an additional 
probability that a similar change takes 
place in the other species belonging to this 
genus ; it may also account for the discre- 
pancy of opinion relative to the Razor Bill. 
The Little Auk flies quickly, and dives 
well; and is always dipping its beak into 
the water w hile swimming. It walks better 
on land than others of the same tribe. It 
is said to grow fat in a stormy season, be- 
cause the violent agitation of the waves 
bring plenty of crabs and small fish within 
its reach. It is frequently driven by storms 
to a distance from the coast ; we shot one 
in the neighbourhood of Beccles, in Suffolk; 
and we have now before us, a beautiful 
specimen of this bird which was taken by 
Capt. Cooper, at North Walsham, on the 
4th or 5th of November, 1821. 
