THE MARBLED MURRELET. 919 



pure white; bill yellow or whitish, blackening at base, and (more sharply") on 

 ridge ; feet and legs yellowish with abrupt black line on back of tarsus, webs black- 

 ish, nails black. /;; winter: Plumbeous of upperparts less pure; more white on 

 eyelids; white feathers of crown and shoulder-patches nearly wanting: sooty more 

 extensive on nape, replaced on cheeks and throat with plumbeous dusky, shading 

 into pure white of underparts ; forehead overcast with plumbeous ; sides plumbeous 

 or dusky in patchy pattern. Length 9.50-10.50 (241.3-266.7) : wing 5.50 ( 139.7) ! 

 tail 1.60 (40.6) : bill .60 ( 15.2) ; depth of bill at base .30 (7.6). width .20 (5.1) ; 

 tarsus 1. 00 ( 25.4). 



Recognition Marks. — Robin size ; white crown-stripes distinctive in summer. 

 In winter nape mfjre broadly sooty than B. iiianiioratns. bill much shorter and 

 showing vellowish on sides; chin and throat washed with plumbeous dusky where 

 B. HI. is pure white. 



Nesting. — Does not breed in Washington. Xcsi: a burrow in bank or 

 crevice in cliff. Eggs: 2. buft'v white, marked with light brown of various shades, 

 according to depth in shell ; shape elliptical ovate. Av. size. 2.40 x 1.40 (61 x 35.6). 

 Season: c. July ist ; one brood. 



General Range. — Northwest coast of North America, breeding on the islands 

 of Bering Sea and southern .Alaska ; south irregularly in winter as far as southern 

 California. 



Range in Washington. — Probably not imcommon in winter and during 

 migrations oft' West Coast ; casual upon the Straits and on Puget Sound. 



Authorities. — Brachyramphus temminckii Brandt. Cassin ( Baird ) Rep. Pac. 

 R. R. Surv. \'ol. IX. pt. II. 1858. p. 917 (Specimen referred to recently identified 

 by Dr. C. \\'. Richmond as S. antiquiis). C&S. Rh. 



Specimens. — Prov. C. 



THIS quaint amphibian is called "'the (/Id man" by the nati\es uf the 

 Commander Islands where he summers. In winter he renews his youth by 

 dropping the hoary strands which adorned temples and hind head, and at this 

 season sometimes ventures south, where he may not easily be distinguished 

 from his kindred Triton, the Marbled Murrelet. ]\Ir. Allan Brooks, however, 

 has seen a specimen of this species taken in the vStraits of Juan de Fuca, and 

 this romantic thorofare appears to be the winter trysting place of many 

 inconnus. 



No. 370. 



MARBLED MURRELET. 



A. O. L'. Xo. 2},. Brachyramphus marmoratus (Gmel.). 



Synonyms. — Towxskxd's jMi'rrelET. \\'r,\xgel's Mitrrelet. 



Description. — Adults in breeding plumage: L^pperparts brownish black, 

 everywhere, save on wings, crossbarred with bright rusty or chestnut; primaries 

 blackening distally, changing to gray on inner webs basally; some white marking 



