1076 SYSTEMATIC SYNOPSIS. —PYGOPODES — ALC^. 



fossae small and shallow, nearly filled with feathers reaching to the broadly oval nostrils. Wings 

 very narrow, falcate, pointed, with extremely short secondaries. Tail nearly square, of 12-14 

 obtuse feathers. Feet very small and short ; tarsus of variable length relatively to toes in the two 

 subgenera, entirely reticulate. Outer and middle toes of equal lengths ; claw of former smaller ; 

 inner toe short, its claw not reaching base of middle claw. Claws small, compressed, acute. 

 Containing several species of diminutive Murrelets, of plain coloration, none with plumes on 

 the head, all confined to the Pacific. 



Analysis of Species. 



Tarsus shorter than middle toe without claw. (Brachyrhamphus.) 



Bill about as long as inner toe vjithout claw. Upper parts blackish and chestnut, lower blackish and white 

 (summer), or upper parts cinereous and white, lower white (winter) ; no white on secondaries or tail-feathers 



marmoratus 

 Bill about § as long as inner toe without claw. Upper parts ashy, barred and spotted with dull yellowish ; under 



parts whitish barred with dusky ; some white on secondaries and tail-feathers hrevirostris 



Tarsus as long as middle toe without claw. (3Iicruria or Eudomychur a.) 



Lining of wings white hypoleucus 



Lining of wings dark craverii 



{Subgenus Brachyramphus.) 



B. marmora'tus. (Lat. marmoratus, marbled.) Marbled Murrelet. Wrangel's 

 MuRRELET. Townsend's Murrelet. Adult J* 9 > iu Summer : Bill black ; tarsi behind 

 and both surfaces of webs blackish ; tarsi in front and top of toes livid flesh-color, or dull 

 bluish-gray ; iris brown. Above, brownish-black, barred crosswise with chestnut-brown, or 

 bright rust-color, except on wings, which are uniform brownish-black ; primaries darker, their 

 inner webs gray toward the base. Lining of wings brownish-black. A few whitish feathers, 

 varied with chestnut and dusky, on scapulars, but no white tips of secondaries, and none on 

 tail-feathers. Entire under parts, including sides of head and neck, marbled with sooty 

 brownish-black and white, the feathers being white with dark ends. Adults in winter 

 (B. wrangeli) : No chestnut ; under parts immaculate white, excepting some dusky streaks 

 on the long feathers of sides and flanks. Upper parts dark cinereous ; centres of feathers, 

 especially of back and rump, blackish ; crown, wings, and tail almost black ; no white on any 

 tail-feathers ; greater wing-coverts narrowly edged with white ; scapulars almost entirely 

 white, forming two conspicuous patches. On lores, the white invades to level of eyes, and 

 extends into nasal fossae; it then dips, leaving the eyes in dark color; on nape it reaches 

 nearly across middle line ; on sides of rump it leaves a band of dark color about ] .00 wide. 

 Specimens are found in every stage intermediate between the two here described. Young, first 

 plumage, with bill only \ as long as head : Resembling winter adults in absence of chestnut. 

 Upper parts blackish, with only a shade of cinereous, therefore darker than in winter adults ; 

 white on scapulars present, but restricted, and interrupted with dusky. Under parts white, 

 but thickly marked with fine wavy dusky lines, most numerous across throat, largest on sides 

 and flanks, finest on lower breast; chin, middle of belly and crissum unmarked. Lining of 

 wings as before. Length 10.00 ; extent 18.00; wing 5.00; tail L 50; tarsus 0.70; middle toe 

 alone 1.00, its claw 0.20; outer toe and claw 1.15 ; inner 0.90; culmen 0.60-0.70; gape 1.25-' 

 1.35; gonys 0.45-0.55 ; height of bill at base 0.24, width 0.20. Coasts and islands of North 

 Pacific, on the American side ; S. in winter to southern California; breeds S. at least to Van- 

 couver, and apparently does not penetrate far north. Egg buff'y, ovate, variously marked with 

 brown, 2.14 X 1-42. {Uria townsendii Aud. 1839, folio pi. 430; 1844, 8vo pi. 475.) 



Note. — B. peedix. Pallas' Murrelet. Partridge Murrelet. This is the closely related species of the Asiatic 

 side of the North Pacific. It differs from marmoratus in having the markings of the upper parts tawny or buff instead 

 of chestnut, and the bill longer, over 0.75. Cepphus perdiz Pall. Zoogr. R. A. ii, 1811, p. 351, pi. 80. Brachyramphus 

 perdix Stjn. Zeit. Ges. Om. iii, 1S8G, p 213, pi. 7 ; Ridgw. Man, 1887, p. 15. Not separated from the foregoing in former 

 editions of the Key. Not in A. O. U. Lists. 



