406 AVES. 



white beneath, with a white line on the wing as in the Guille- 

 mot. Its bill is black, and feet red. Inhabits all the northern 

 coasts, and builds under ground. It is sometimes seen on the 

 French coast in winter. 



Alca, Lin. 



The Auks are known by the very much compressed, vertically 

 raised bill which has a trenchant back, and is usually grooved 

 transversely^ and by the feet which are completely palmated, and 

 have no thumb like those of the Guillemot. All these birds inhabit 

 the northern seas. We may divide the genus into two subgenera. 



Fratercula, Briss. Mormon, Illig. 



Or the Puffins, whose bill, shorter than the head, is as high and 

 higher at base than it is long, which gives it a very extraordinary 

 form; a folded skin usually covers its base. The nostrils placed near 

 the edge are mere slits. Their small wings can just sustain them 

 for a moment; they live upon the ocean and breed on the rocks. 



The most common species. Aim arctica, L. and labradoria, 

 Gm.; Mormon fratercula, Tem. Enl. 275; Brit. Zool., pi. H; 

 Edw. 358, 1; Frisch, 192; Naum. 65, f. 101, is the size of a Pi- 

 geon, and has a black calotte and mantle; white beneath. It 

 sometimes breeds among the cliffs on the English coast, and is 

 very common on those of France during the winter.(l) 

 M. Temminck distinguishes, under the name of Stariques (Pha- 

 leris) those species which have a less elevated bill.(2) 



Alca, Cuv.(3) 



The true Auks have a more elongated bill, resembling in form 

 the blade of a knife; it is covered with feathers as far as the nos- 

 trils. Their wings are decidedly too small to support them, and 

 therefore they never attempt to fly. 



Mcatorda and ;;ica, Gm.; Pingouin commun, Enl. 1004, the 

 adult 1003, in summer plumage, Edw. 358, 2, Briss. VI, VIII, 

 2, Brit. Zool. pi. H, 1. (The Common Auk.) Black above, white 



(1) Add./?, cirrhata, Pall. Spic, V, pi. 1; Vieill. Gal. 299. 



(2) Alca cristatella, Vieill. Gal. 297, or Siarique cristaielk, T. Col. 200, and Pall., 

 Spic. Zool., V, pi. 1, of whicii A pygmaea is the young-; .4f. psittacula. Pall. Spic., 

 V, pi. 2, of which A. tetracula, lb. pi. 4, is the young. 



(3) Mca, Aik, Auk, the name of these birds in the Feroe Islands, and in the north 

 of Scotland. That of Penguin, first given to the Aptenodytes of the south by the 

 Dutch, indicates the oily nature of their fat. See Clusius, Exot., 101. It was 

 Buffon who transferred this name exclusively to the northern Auks. 



