114 RAZOR-BILLED AUK.
may never see again; the noblest fleet that ever ploughed the ocean might
anchor in it in safety. To augment our pleasures, our captain some days
after piloted the Gulnare into it. But, you will say, " Where are the
Auks, we have lost sight of them entirelyNever fear, good reader, we
are in a delightful harbour, and anon you shall hear of them.
Winding up the basin toward the north-east, Captain Emery, myself,
and some sailors, all well armed, proceeded one day along the high and
precipitous shores to the distance of about four miles, and at last reached
the desired spot. We landed on a small rugged island. Our men were
provided with long poles, having hooks at their extremities. These sticks
were introduced into the deep and narrow fissures, from which we carefully
drew the birds and eggs. One place, in particular, was full of birds;
it was a horizontal fissure, about two feet in height, and thirty or forty
yards in depth. We crawled slowly into it, and as the birds affrighted
flew hurriedly past us by hundreds, many of their eggs were smashed.
The farther we advanced, the more dismal did the cries of the birds sound
in our ears. Many of them, despairing of effecting their escape, crept
into the surrounding recesses. Having collected as many of them and
their eggs as we could, we returned, and glad were we once more to
breathe the fresh air. No sooner were we out than the cracks of the
sailors1 guns echoed among the rocks. Rare fun to the tars, in fact, was
every such trip, and, when we joined them, they had a pile of Auks on
the rocks near them. The birds flew directly towards the muzzles of the
guns, as readily as in any other course, and therefore it needed little
dexterity to shoot them.
When the Auks deposit their eggs along with the Guillemots, which
they sometimes do, they drop them in spots from which the water can
escape without injuring them; but when they breed in deep fissures,
which is more frequently the case, many of them lie close together,
and the eggs are deposited on small beds of pebbles or broken stones
raised a couple of inches or more, to let the water pass beneath them.
Call this instinct if you will:—I really do not much care ; but you must
permit me to admire the wonderful arrangements of that Nature from
which they have received so much useful knowledge. When they lay
their eggs in such a horizontal cavern as that which I have mentioned
above, you find them scattered at the distance of a few inches from each
other; and there, as well as in the fissures, they sit flat upon them like
Ducks, for example, whereas on an exposed rock, each bird stands almost
RAZOR-BILLED AUK. 115
upright upon its egg. Another thing quite as curious, which I observed,
is, that, while in exposed situations, the Auk seldom lays more than one
egg, yet in places of greater security I have, in many instances, found
two under a single bird. This may perhaps astonish you, but I reallycannot
help it.
The Razor-billed Auks begin to drop their eggs in the beginning of
May. In July we found numerous young ones, although yet small.
Their bill then scarcely exhibited the form which it ultimately assumes.
They were covered with down, had a lisping note, but fed freely on
shrimps and small bits of fish, the food with which their parents supply
them. They were very friendly towards each other, differing greatly in
this respect from the young Puffins, which were continually quarrelling.
They stood almost upright. Whenever a finger was placed within their
reach, they instantly seized it, and already evinced the desire to bite severely
so cordially manifested by the old birds of this species, which in
fact will hang to your hand until choked rather than let go their hold.
The latter when wounded threw themselves on their back, in the manner
of Hawks, and scratched fiercely with their claws. They walked and
ran on the rocks with considerable ease and celerity, taking to wing, however,
as soon as possible. When thus disturbed while breeding, they fly
round the spot many times before they alight again. Sometimes a whole
flock will alight on the water at some distance, to watch your departure,
before they will venture to return.
This bird lays one or two eggs, according to the nature of the place.
The eggs measure at an average three inches and one-eighth, by two and
one-eighth, and are generally pure white, greatly blotched with dark reddish
brown or black, the spots generally forming a circle towards the larger
end. They differ considerably from those of the Common and the
Thick-billed Guillemots, being less blunted at the smaller end. The eggs
afford excellent eating; the yolk is of a pale orange colour, the white
pale blue. The eggers collect but few of the eggs of this bird, they being
more difficult to be obtained than those of the Guillemot, of which
they take vast numbers every season.
The food of the Razor-billed Auk consists of shrimps, various other
marine animals, and small fishes, as well as roe. Their flesh is by the
fishers considered good, and I found it tolerable, when well stewed, although
it is dark and therefore not prepossessing. The birds are two
years in acquiring the full size and form of their bill, and, when full
ir 2