RAZOR n I LL. 
j. 
ILCA 
TOIWA. 
A CONSIDERABLE diminution in the number of Razorbills frequenting some of the bi’ecding-stations on 
our north-eastern coasts has taken place of late years ; at the time of my last visit to the Pern Islands, 
only one pair of these hii’ds had taken up their quarters for the season, though I learned from the egg- 
collector that they had been formerly abundant during summer on various parts of the rocks. On the 
Bass also I remarked a great falling off in numbers ; the upper ledges on the north-west face had been 
formerly a favourite resort for this species, but on searching for young birds in the autumn of 1874, in 
order to rear them in confinement, their old haunts were found to he entirely deserted. Along the rocky cliffs 
about Duncanshy Head I found Razorbills very numerous at the time of my visit in 1869, the higher 
ledges in many parts appearing to be entirely tenanted by this species. At a point near the east end 
of the rocks I had crawled to the grassy edge of the precipice to look down upon the sea-fowl, and on 
stretching over came face to face with three or four pairs whose quarters Avere Avithin a couple of feet 
of the summit of the cliff. I Avas almost as much startled as the birds : my intrusion on their haunts, 
hoAvever, caused but a momentary alarm ; one or tAvo shuflled up against their neighbours AA'ith angry 
croaks, but soon settled doAvn again in their accustomed manner, paying little or no attention to my presence. 
■\Vlhle shooting at sea off the coasts of Kent and Sussex 1 frequently remarked during Avinter that 
previous to the setting in of stormy Aveather in the Channel, Razorbills Avere exceedingly restless, 
immense flocks of these and other Divers being seen on Aving making their Avay either east or Avest for 
several hours. Ko general movement to any distance appeared to be taken ; Avithin a day or two the 
stream of birds Avould probably be seen following an opposite coui’se. 
At times, Avhen the fry of fish are plentiful and making their Avay along shore, I have seen these birds 
perfectly crammed Avith food, snapping up the glittering morsels by merely dipping their heads beloAv the 
surface Avithout the exertion of diving. During fine Aveather Avith a light northerly breeze in early spring I 
have repeatedly Avatched a pair or tAvo greedily stuffing themselves from our boat-house at Shoreham, 
and ascertained that their prey Avas secured in the shallow Avater close to the shore, and occasionally 
even among the tiny breakers rippling over the sningle. 
I have observed Razorbills exceedingly numerous even in the summer months inside the sands off the 
Norfolk coast. So early in the season as August 9th in 1873, an entry in my notes referring to the subject 
occurs ; though SAvarming Avithin a mile or so off the shore, there Avas not a bird to be seen on the open 
sea outside the sands. It is not often that Divers of this family are taken on hoard the Trinity vessels ; 
a Razorbill, hoAvever, struck the lamps of the ‘NeAvarp’ floating light-ship in March 1873. 
Razorbills are termed Marrots by the Avriters of several ornithological Avorks, the name being probably 
derived from a supposed similarity to the sound of their note. On many parts of the coast they are 
confused Avith Guillemots by the fishing fraternity, and are knoAvn as IVillocks or IVillies. The men composing 
