THE RAZOR-BILL. 
251 
and then meet with unpleasant adventures, as cer- 
tain Hawks inhabiting the mainland occasionally 
make a dash at them. One day, the light-keepers 
were witnesses of one of these curious rencontres. 
The Hawk was seen in full chase of a Razor-bill, 
but aware, probably, of the toughness of its skin, 
instead of assaulting his prey with the usual death 
pounce from the beak, he seized the unfortunate 
bird by the head with both his claws, and made 
towards the land, his prisoner croaking, screaming, 
and struggling lustily; and, being a heavy bird, so 
far incommoded or over-balanced its aggressor, that 
both descended fast towards the sea ; when, just as 
they touched the w T ater, the Hawk let go his hold, 
and ascended, — the Razor-bill as instantaneously 
diving below. 
Amidst the myriads of old ones, we looked in 
vain for anything like a corresponding number of 
young, hut scarcely a single individual was to be 
seen. It is true, that the females produce only one 
egg; hut still that could not account for the small 
number visible : we could only, therefore, suspect, 
from certain friendly croakings uttered by the old 
ones, when turning their heads towards little chinks, 
the extremities of which were invisible, that the 
infant birds were kept in the hack ground ; and well 
they were so, for otherwise, in the constant disturb- 
ances, and tumblings, incessantly taking place, the 
whole rising generation must inevitably have broken 
their necks in the confusion, by falling over, before 
they were able to fly. But a greater surprise was 
excited, by perceiving, in the midst of the bustle, a 
solitary egg here and there lying on the bare rock, 
