522 THE DIVING BIRDS — PYGOPODES. 



but in various parts of the Pacific. It may be regarded as an oceanic species of 

 the Pacific, breeding on the islands of the Av^estern coast of America, and probably 

 on the eastern side of Asia. It was procured at Hakodadi, Japan, by Mr. K. Swin- 

 hoe, in the months of March and April (" Ibis," 1874) ; and others were obtained by 

 the United States Expedition under Commodore Perry, as also by Mr. Whitely, at 

 the same place on the 11th of INIay, the dates indicating that it probably breeds there. 

 The last found it by no means rare; and it could be very easily shot, as should it 

 dive on the approach of a boat it will rise to the surface again in a very short time. 

 How far north on the Asiatic coast it extends we have no data to show ; but as it 

 is found on the American as far north as Sitka, it is also, very probably, common 

 along the entire Pacific coast of Asia. Mr. Bischoff collected a number of specimens 

 at Sitka ; and Mr. R. Browne, in his List of the Birds of Vancouver Island, mentions 

 finding it common in tlie neighborhood of Fort Eupert, and states that it was seen as 

 far north as Fort Simpson. 



At San Diego, during the stormy winter of 18G1-18G2, Dr. Cooper obtained many 

 specimens of this Guillemot, most of them picked up dead on shore, where they had 

 apparently perished on account of the severity of the weather at the time of their 

 change of plumage, as happens wath the Pelicans and the Cormorants. They were 

 usually seen swimming near the shore. On no other occasion did he meet with any 

 of these birds, though they are probably common along the whole coast from the 

 Straits of Fuca to Margarita Bay. Dr. Heermann states that the Horn-billed Guil- 

 lemot is nocturnal in its habits in the summer, inhabiting burrows among the rocks 

 in the Farallones ; and that — although he met with none there — he thinks they 

 also burrow on Santa Barbara Island, and perhaps on others, lying concealed during 

 the day, and going out to fish at night. Dr. Heermann saw one toward night fly 

 ashore with a fish in its mouth, and plunge into a hole. Dr. Cooper conjectures 

 that, like the Ptycliormnphus aleuticus, this bird may remain at sea during the day, 

 and come on shore at night in order to feed its young. 



An egg of this species — obtained on the Farallones by Mr. Gruber for Dr. Cooper 

 in jMay, 1862 — measures 2.60 inches in length by 1.80 in breadth, is of a dirty white 

 color, and in shape resembles the egg of the common Hen. 



The late Mr. James Hepburn obtained birds of this species in abundance on Smith's 

 Island, south of San Juan, Washington Territory. They were breeding in the most 

 astonishing numbers, so that the light soil of the island was perfectly honeycombed 

 with their burrows. The lighthouse-keepers were feeding their dogs and pigs with 

 the eggs and with the old birds. The eggs are of a dull chalky white, with discolor- 

 ations and faint shell-markings of obscure purplish gray, and are very similar to the 

 eggs of Fratcrcida cornmdata. They range from 2.65 inches to 2.90 in length, and in 

 breadth from 1.80 to 1.90. 



Genus FRATERCULA, Brisson. 



Fratercula, Buiss. Oni. YI. 1760, 81 (type, Aha ardica, Linn.). 



Mormon, Iluger, Prodr. 1811, 283 (same ty\)c). 



Larva, Vieili.. Analyse, 1816, 67 (same type). 



CcratoMcpJiarum, Biiandt, Bull. So. St. Petersb. II. 1837, 348 (same type). 



Char. Bill extremely deep and excessively compressed, the basal portion covered in the 

 breeding-season by a greater or le.ss number of deciduous horny laniina). Basal depth of the closed 

 bill nearly or quite equal to the length of the gonys ; culnien arched, sometimes even to the 



