88 
TAME DIVERS 
to catch and eat about twenty live eels in a stew-pan, 
is good evidence of the confidence which these birds 
have in man. From that day until its lamented 
death the bird was as much a member of the family 
as the fox-terrier or the cats. Next day it was 
carried down to the beach, and placed on the wet 
sand by the breakers. It waddled down to the 
water, took a swim round, and came back to the 
shore. This happened twice or thrice, and as it 
showed no disposition to return to the sea it was 
carried back once more to the house. Every day 
the bird was taken down to the beach and set free, 
while the whole party bathed from tents set on the 
shore. It would swim out sometimes as far as a 
quarter of a mile, until it was a mere black speck on 
the water. Then, just as it seemed about to leave its 
friends for good, the black speck turned into a white 
one as the bird turned its white breast towards the 
shore. It would swim steadily towards the bathing- 
tent, scramble out of the water, and walk up to the 
shingle bank on which the party were lying enjoying 
the sun after their bathe. The razorbill, having com- 
pletely identified itself with the habits of its hosts 
would do the same, opening its wings and sun- 
ning itself beside them. One rather rough day, 
with a choppy sea, it was carried some way down 
the shore by a current, and landed at a considerable 
distance from its usual point ; but it succeeded 
in landing at a place opposite to where some of 
the party were waiting for it. During these ex- 
