HYPOTHETICAL LIST. 737 



none have been preserved. We have been unable to find a Michigan 

 specimen in any collection, and have been equally unsuccessful in finding 

 an unquestionable record of its occurrence. Until something more definite 

 can be shown it seems best to exclude it from the regular list. 



TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. 



"Adult in winter: Above, blackish or slaty without white markings, the throat, fore- 

 neck and entire under parts white. Tarsus shorter than middle toe without claw. Dis- 

 tance from base of culraen to anterior point of loral feathej-s not greater than distance 

 from latter point to anterior extremity of nostril. Length, 26 to 29 inches; wing, 12.15 

 to 13.20; culmen 2.50 to 2.85; depth of bill at base .75 to .80" (Ridgway). 



Puffin. Fratercula arctica arctica (Linn.). (13) 



Included erroneously in some of the older lists, but there seems to be 

 no reason whatever for its retention. It is an arctic or subarctic species 

 common only along the seaboard and never found at any great distance 

 from salt water. It is unsafe to say that its occurrence in Michigan waters 

 is impossible but it is entirely improbable. 



Ancient Murrelet. Synthliboramphus antiquus (Gmcl.). (21) 



Another bird for whose presence in Michigan lists there is no warrant. 

 A single straggler has been recorded from Wisconsin, and according to 

 Cook, another was reported as taken on the Wisconsin shore of Lake 

 Michigan, but we are unable to verif}^ this statement. Certainly there 

 is no Michigan record, and its capture is about as unlikely as that of the 

 Puffin. Its home is along the shores and islands of the north Pacific. 



Black Guillemot. Cepphus grylle (Linn.). (27) 



Practically the same remarks apply to this s])ecies as to the preceding, 

 except that so far as we can learn no specimen has ever been taken in 

 any of the territory immediately adjoining Michigan. The "Black Guille- 

 mots" recorded by Davidson from St. Clair Flats were Brunnich's Murres 

 (Bidl. M. 0. C. I, 8, 24). 



Murre. Uria troille (Li int.). (30) 



One or more sii])|)()sed records of this species in all i)i'ol)aI)ilily lest ujton 

 captures of the Thick-billed Murre (Brunnich's Murre), Vr'nx lomvia. 

 There seems to he no good reason why one of these species should occur 

 in some numbers and the other not at all, but such appears to be the fact. 

 There is no valid Michigan record. 



Razor-billed Auk. Alca torda Linn. (32) 



Still another member of the family of Auks, Alcida>, which has been 

 credited to Michigan, but evidently upon insufficient grounds. We know 

 of no captuie anywhere in the vicinity of .Alichigan. It is a sea bird strictly, 

 and as unlikely to occur on the Great Lakes as the Puffin. 



93 



