814 



SYSTEMATIC SYNOPSIS. — PYGOP ODES. 



345. 



pteron, wing.) 

 Bill about i ; 



Short-winged 

 s loug as head 



869. B- crave'rU? (To F. Craveri. Fig. 551.) Cravf.hi's Murrelet. Resembles the last; 

 questiuuably distiuct : differs iu having the under surface of the wing dark. L. California, 

 both sides. 



870. B. brachy'pterus ? (Gr. ^paxvs, brachus, short; Trrepov. 

 MuKRELET. Tarsus said iu be longer than middle toe. 

 Above, cinereous, the wings and tail 

 bhickish. Neck on sides and below, 

 breast and beUy white. Length 9.00. 

 Unalashka, (This is the substance of 

 Brandt's original description. The al- 

 h;ged species is unknown to me, and no 

 specimens are known to exist iu tliis 

 country.) 



U'RIA. (Gr. oipla, ouria, a kind of 

 waterfowl.) Black Guillemots. BiU 

 much shorter than head, about equal to 

 tarsus, straight, rather stout, moderately 

 compressed ; culmen at first straight, then 

 decurved ; gape straight to near tip ; 

 gouys short, straight, ascending, about ^ Fig. 55L — Craveri's Murrelet, nat. size. (From Elliot.) 



as long as culmen. No pick or groove near tip of upper mandible ; its tomial edge scarcely 

 inflected. Nasal fossae large and deep, partially filled with feathers which do not entirely 

 cover the nostrils. Feathers salient in rounded outline on side of lower mandible. Tail little 

 rounded, contained 2t times in length of wing. Tarsus entirely reticulate, slightly shorter than 

 middle toe without claw. Claws compressed, arched, acute, the outer grooved on outer side, 

 the middle dilated on inner edge. No postocular furrow in plumage. Color black, relieved 

 with white on head or wing, bill black, feet red; in winter, largely white. Eggs plural, 

 colored. Three or four species. 



Analysis of Species. 



A large white mirror on wing above and below, entire ; no white about head grylle 871 



Alarge white mifror on wing above, partly divided; none below; no white about head . . ..columha 872 

 Nowhitemirroron wing; parts about eye and bill white carbo 873 



871. U. gryUe. (N. European name of the bird. Fig. 552.) Black Guillemot. Sea-pigeon. 

 Adult iu full dress : Plumage sooty-black with a tint of " invisible " green ; wings and tail pure 



former with a large white mirror on both surfaces ; bill and claws black ; mouth and 



feet carmine, vermUion or coral red ; eyes brown 

 This faultless dress-suit is only worn about twc 

 months. In August, the wings and tail fade to 

 gray ; the body-color loses the green gloss ; the 

 white mirror is soiled with bro^vn. When the 

 quills and tail-feathers have fallen, and new ones 

 partly grovni, the progress of the moult gives a 

 new clean white mirror, smaller than in midsum- 

 mer; head and neck all around, rump and under 

 parts, marbled with black and white, the bird 

 looking as if dusted over with flour; back black, 

 the feathers mostly edged with white. Completion of the moult gives the following winter 

 plumage: Wings and tail black, the white mirror faultless; head and neck all around, rump 

 and under parts, white; back and more or less of the hind neck and head black, variegated 

 with white. Young in first plumage : BUI black, feet dusky reddish. Upper parts plumbeous 



black 



Fig. 552. — Black Guillemot, nat. 



