Mergulus. BIRDS. PALMIPIDES. 135 



and o-rey spots. — Young resemble the winter plumage of the old birds. — In 

 Zetland' I have observed the birds with black plumage about the end of Fe- 

 bruary ; by the end of March they are common in this their summer dress. 



Gen. XCVII. MERGULUS. Rotche.— Bill shorter than 

 the head; ridge arched; symphysis short and oblique; 

 margins inflected. 



216. M. melanoleucos. Common Rotche. — Breast, belly, 



and a dot above the eyes, white ; the rest of the plumage 



black. 



Will. Orn. 2G1. — Alca Alle, Linn. Syst. i. 211.— Little Auk, Penn. Brit. 



Zool. ii. 517 Uria alle, Temm. Orn. ii. 928 — E, -Little black and 



white Diver A winter visitant of the northern coasts. 



Length 9, breadth 16 inches; weights ounces. Bill black, short and thick, 

 like gallinaceous birds. Legs and toes yellowish. Irides hazel. Tip of the 

 secondaries white. In this, its summer dress, it was considered as a var. by 

 Pennant. In a specimen from Greenland, presented to me in 1809, by that 

 accomplished navigator Captain Scoresby fan., I was able to perceive the se- 

 ries of changes which the plumage of this bird undergoes in connection with 

 the seasons, the results of which were communicated to Montagu, (Orn- Diet. 

 Suppt.) In winter, the throat, sides, and front of the neck, become white, 

 more or less freckled with dusky ; in which state it is frequent on our shores. 

 Female similar.— Nest in holes or crevices on the bare rocks. Egg 1, bluish- 

 green. 



Gen. XCVIII. PROCELLARIA. Petrel.— Nostrils unit- 

 ed into a single tubular opening on the upper part of the 

 bill. Lower mandible truncated, 



* Nail of the bill prominent, arched and toothed on the margin. 

 Tail rounded. Fulmar. 



217. P. Macialis. Fulmar Petrel. — Tail rounded ; plumage, 

 above, grey ; beneath, white. 



Haffert, Will. Orn. 30C— Fulmar, Martin, Descr. West Isles, p. 283 — 

 P. gl. Linn. Syst. i. 213. Penn. Brit. Zool. ii. 549. Temm. Orn. ii. 



802 N, Mallemacke — Breeds in St Kilda. 



Length 17 inches ; weight 22 ounces. Bill about 2 inches long, yellow, 

 nail swollen. Legs dusky. Irides yellow. The head, neck, belly, rump, and 

 tail, pure white ; rest bluish-grey ; the wings inclining to dusky. Female si- 

 milar. — Nest in holes. Egg 1, white. — The young are grey, clouded with 

 brown, with a dusky spot in front of the eyes. The fulmar feeds on fish and 

 putrid carcases. 



** Nail of the bill not prominent Tail even orforhed. Pe- 

 trel. 



218. P. pelagica. Stormy Petrel. — Tail even, the wings, 

 when closed, extending a little beyond its tip ; length of the 

 tarsus |ths of an inch. 



