RAZOR-BILL AUK. 
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nesting-place, on the face of the rocks, is never far 
raised above the water. This Auk is found breed- 
ing in suitable localities, from Shetland to the Isle 
of Wight. On the continental shores we believe 
it to be equally abundant ; but we are not sure of 
its southern range. Mr. Yarrell mentions a speci- 
men in the winter dress, in the collection of the 
Zoological Society, received from Tangicrs. In the 
arctic seas it is also abundant ; and Audubon writes, 
“ A few birds of this species occassionally go as far 
south as New York during winter; but beyond this 
parallel I never met with one.” In its breeding 
stations, farther north, he found this bird incubating 
in fissures of the rocks. 
In the breeding plumage, the head and neck are 
brownish black, of a paler or browner tint on the 
throat, a narrow streak of white extends from the 
culmen of the bill to the angle of the eye ; the plu- 
mage is thick and soft ; above, very deep brownish 
black ; the secondary quills tipped with white, form- 
ing a narrow bar across the wing ; tail cuneated 
with the centre feathers, narrowed towards the tip ; 
under plumage entirely white ; the bill black, trans- 
versely furrowed, with a line of white in that of the 
centre ; legs and feet nearly black. 
In the plumage of the first year, when it is known 
under the name of Black-billed Auk ; the bill is very 
weak (see wood-cut, next page), and the indication 
of the white streak to the eye is just marked ; the 
upper parts are as in the adult breeding state, but 
without the lustre ; while the chin, throat, cheeks 
