9i6 THE I'ARnniT.T AUKLKT. 



adiill l)ir(ls arc iK'\er seen in llie innnc-iliaU' nei!;lil)i U'liodd in nesting lime, and 

 one niav traverse llie entire coast williont siis]jecting' their jirescnce. In winter 

 tiiev mingle occasionally with like-minded divers on Puget Sonud, but they are 

 seldom distinguished and were unknown to Suckley at Steilacooin. 



No. 367- 



PAROQUET AUKLEl. 



A. O. U. No. 17. Phaleris psittacula ( I'all.). 



Synonyms. — Pug-nosed Avklkt. Parrot Auk. 



Description. — .Idiilt in breeding plumage: Upperjiarts uniform slaty black: 

 chin, throat, fore-neck and sides dusky, changing to white on remaining undcr- 

 parts; lining of wings fuscous; a line of narrow pointed white feathers starting 

 from eye and continued obliquely backward and downward ; bill with strongly 

 convex culmen and more strongly recurved gonys | tomia corresi)ondingly up- 

 cm-vcd), vermilion-red, changing to horn-yellow at tip and along tomia. Size of 

 bill slightly increased by a series of flattened pieces which are deciduous in 

 winter, li'iiiter adults are white on chin and throat as well, with the sides of the 

 latter dusky-.spotted. "Young: No white filaments on head: a white spot on 

 lower eyelid: upjjcr parts as before [in adult] ; under parts white, marbled and 

 mottled'with dusky ends of the feathers" (Cones). Length of adult O-OO (228.6) 

 or more: wing 3.40-5.75 ( 137.2-146.1 ) : tail 1.53 (39.4) : l)ill (chord of culmen) 

 .60 ( 15.2) : dejifli of bill at base .43 ( 1 i .4 1 : tarsus 1. 00 ( 23.4 ). 



Recognition Marks. — Robin size: ■']ing-nose<r' bill; white line nt |ilnmes 

 from behind eye in ailnlt. 



Nesting. — Does not breed in Washington. Single white egg. niughcned and 

 soiled, ]i!aced deep in fissure or cranny of \olcanic rock. .\v. size, 2.30 .\ t.47 

 ( 58.4 X ;^y.7, ) . Season : June. 



General Range. — North Pacific Ocean, breeding on the .Aleutians and other 

 rocky islets, south to Sitka and the Kuriles ; south in wmter to San Francisco Bay. 



Range in Washington. — Probably common <luring migrations along the 

 West Coast. Casual on the Straits of juan de Fuca. 



Authorities. — Dawson, .\nk. \ol. NW. ( )ct. 1008, p. 485. ( A. W. Anthony 

 in epist.). 



MR. A. W. .\NTHOXV. who is familiar with this sjiecies in the North, 

 recognized it in the Straits of Juan de Fuca on his winter cruise of 'qS-q. It 

 is well distributed in summer thniimt the Aleutian chain, liut retires in winter 

 to the open sea. 



As nearl_\- as can be deterniiiicd, the peculiar retrousse- etTect of this bird's 

 bill is nierelv ornaniciital. since its food comprises chiefly the tiny crustaceans 

 taken in open water. Aloreover. certain parts about the base of the hill are 



