BLACK GUILLEMOT. 333 



rather small, arched, compressed, rather acute ; that of the 

 middle toe with the inner edge dilated, and notched near 

 the end. 



The plumage is dense, soft, blended, and velvety ; the 

 feathers oblong, on the back rather abruptly terminated. 

 The wings are small and narrow, with twenty-eight quills ; 

 the primaries curved and rather acute, the first longest ; the 

 secondaries incurved, broadly rounded, the inner rounded. 

 The tail is very short, narrow, rounded, of twelve soft, rather 

 pointed feathers. 



The bill is black ; the inside of the mouth vermilion ; 

 the iris dusky ; the feet vermilion ; the claws bluish-black. 

 The general colour of the plumage is white, with a tinge of 

 grey. The upper part of the head is obscurely mottled with 

 greyish-black ; the feathers of the back and the scapulars 

 black, tipped with greyish-white ; the wings and tail 

 brownish-black, the former with a large patch of Avhite, 

 including the secondary coverts and many of the smaller 

 coverts. 



Length to end of tail 13 inches; extent of wings 2 

 wing from flexure 6-j% ; tail 2 ; bill along the ridge 1- 

 along the edge of lower mandible 1^ ; tarsus 1-^ ; inner 

 toe -LL ; its claw -^ ; middle toe 1-j^, its claw -j^ ; outer toe 

 1-^, its claw -j^. 



Female in Winter. — The female differs from the male 

 only in being a little smaller. 



Length to end of tail 11|^ inches; extent of wings 21. 



Changes or Plumage. — The moult takes place in 

 autumn, and is completed by the beginning of November. 

 Early in spring another moult commences, which is com- 

 pleted by the end of April, and changes all the feathers, 

 excepting those of the wings and tail. In summer the bird 

 has a very different appearance, being chiefly of a black 

 colour, glossed with green above, and tinged Avitli brown or 

 red below. 



Male in Summer. — The bill, iris, and feet as in winter ; 



