816 



SYSTEMATIC SYNOPSIS. —PYGOPODES. 



346. 



874 



LOM'VIA. (N. European name of birds of this kind.) Murres. Guillemots. Egg- 

 uiRDS. Bill shorter than head, longer than tarsus, straight or slightly decurved, much com- 

 pressed j culmen regularly curved throughout; rictus curved in most of its length; gonys 

 straight, or little curved, nearly as long as culmen ; upper mandible grooved on the side near 

 tip, its commissural od-re crroatly inHcrfcd. Nasal fnssnp fully foathorcd. Feathers on lower 



Fig. .").55. — Gathering Murre's eggs in Alaslja. (Designed by H. "W. Elliott.) 



mandible retreating in straight oblique liue from interramal space to rictus. Tail short, much 

 rounded, contained over 3 times in length of wing. Tarsus compressed, much shorter than 

 middle toe and claw ; outer claw not grooved t)n outer face. A furrow in plumage behind eye. 

 Colors dark above, white below. Egg single, pictured, pyriform. 



Analysis of Species. 



Deptli of bill opposite nostrils not more than J the length of culmen. 



Bill comparatively slender, not dilated along edge of upper mandible at base, the culmen, commi-ssure 



and gonys curved. Atlantic troile 874 



Bill stouter, somewhat dilated along edges of upper mandible at base, the culmen, rictus, and gonys 



nearly straight. Pacific californica 875 



Depth of bill oppo.site nostrils more than j the length of culmen. 



Bill very stout, thick, deep, much dilated along edges of upper mandible at base ; culmen, commissure 

 and gonys curved arra 876 



L. troile. (Nom. propr. , of uncertain reference. Figs. 556, 557, 560.) Common Guillemot, or 

 MuraiE. Adult in summer : Head and neck all around rich dark maroon brown, changing on 

 upper parts into dark slaty-browTi, nearly uniform, but most of the feathers of the back and rump 

 with slightly lighter, more grayish-brown, edges. Secondaries naiTowly but distinctly tipped with 

 white. Tinder parts from the throat pure white, the sides and flanks marked ^vith dusky or slaty, 

 the lining of the wings varied with white and dusky. Bill black ; mouth yellow ; eyes brown ; 

 feet blackish. In some cases, not in most, a white " eye-glass," consisting of a riui around eye 



