RAZOR B I L L.
ALCA TORDA.
A cuSMIiKtiABi.E diminution in the numlier of Razorbills frrquoutlng soiuo of the twnwllllg,'•tlllotll on
our north-eastern coasts lias taken place of late years; at the time of my last visit (o the Fern Islands,
only one pair of these birds had taken up their ipiurlors for the season, though I learned from the eggcollector
that they hen been formerly abundant during summer on various parts of the rocks. On the
Bass also I remarkrd a great falling off in numbers; the upper ledges on the north-west boa 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 be entirely deserted. Along the rocky cliffs
about Duucansby Head I found Razorbills very numerous at the time of my visit in 18(19, the higher
ledges in many parts appearing to lie entirely tenanted by this species. At a point near the cast end
of the rocks I had crawled to the grassy edge of the precipice to look down upon the sea-foul, and on
stretching over came face to face with three or four pairs whose quarters were within a couple of feet
of the summit of the cliff. I was almost ns much startled as tho birds; my intrusion on their haunts,
however, caused hut a momentary alarm; one or two shutlled up against their neighbours with angry
croaks, but soon settled down again iu their accustomed manner, paying little or no attention to my preseuce.
While shootiug at sea off the coasts of Kent and Sussex 1 frequently remarked during a inter that
previous to the setting in of stormy weather in the Channel, Razorbills were exceedingly n si less,
immense tloeks of these and other Divers being seen on wing making their way either cast or west for
several hours. r»o general movement to any distance appeared to he taken; within a day or two the
stream of birds would probably be seen following an op|tosite course.
At times, when the fry of lUh are plentiful and making their way along shore, I have seen these birds
perfectly crammed with fond, snapping up the glittering morsels by merely dipping (heir heads below ihe
surface without the exertion of diving. During line weather with a light northerly breeze in early spring I
have repeatedly watched a pair or two greedily staffing themselves from our boat-house at Shurcham.
and ascertained that their peey was secured in the shallow water close to the shore, and occasionallyeven
among the thay breakers rippling over the shingle.
I have observed Razorbills exceedingly numerous even In the summer months inside the sands off the
Norfolk coast. So early iu the season as August Mil in 1873, an entry in my notes referring to tin- subject
occurs; though swarming within a mile or so off the shore, there was not a bird to bo 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, however, struck the lamps of the ' Nenarp * hating light-ship in March 1878.
Razorbills are termed Marrots by ihe writers of several ornithological works, the name being probably
derived from a supposed similarity to the sound of their note. On many parts of the coast they are
confused with Guillemots by the fishing fraternity, and are known as Willocks or Willies. The men composing