Page:Cassell's book of birds (IA cassellsbookofbi04breh).pdf/286

 the latter in the peculiar structure of their bill. The beak is of moderate length, very narrow, and very high; the upper mandible bends like a bow along the culmen, while the lower one turns angularly upwards, and is furrowed towards its base; the cutting edge, which is also curved, is exceedingly sharp. The tail is short, and consists of twelve narrow feathers; the wings are slender, long, pointed, and sometimes sabre-shaped. In their habits and modes of life these strange-looking birds closely resemble the Guillemots.

AN ASSEMBLAGE OF AUKS.

THE RAZOR-BILL.

The (Alca torda) is from sixteen to seventeen inches long, by twenty-six and a half to twenty-seven in breadth; the length of wing is eight inches, and that of tail three and a half.