142 



else, and I have no doubt that it was originally white in the Green- 

 land bird, as I find that it is easily scraped off in my American speci- 

 mens. * 



Habitat. Audubon, at the time of his visit to Labrador, did not 

 meet with this bird. I am not acquainted with any other breeding- 

 place than the Bird Rock, in the Guhf of St. Lawrence, already 

 mentioned ; not a single specimen was seen by me among the thou- 

 sands of Foolish Guillemots that frequented the north shore of the 

 Gulf. In winter, it is not uncommon on the shore of Maine, and 

 even as far south as Cape Cod. It is said, by Mr. Cassin, to be 

 the only species found off the coast of New Jersey; if this fact should 

 prove not to be exceptional, it is certainly very singular that the 

 most Arctic species should be found in winter so much farther south 

 than the others. 



Catarractes Califorxicus. 



Sp. Ch. Form, generally similar to that of troille ; bill rather 

 longer and mueli straighter ; the culmen in some specimens being 

 even slightly concave near its commencement ; cutting edges almost 

 straight, slightly curved downward near the tip ; the angle formed by 

 the lateral outline rather more acute ; under mandible with the cut- 

 ting edges corresponding to those of upper mandible ; gonyx rather 

 deeper, but not so conspicuous, as the rami are stouter ; keel straight 

 or even slightly convex and appearing longer, principally from the 

 bare part of the rami being shorter proportionally, as 12 to 31 instead 

 of 12 to 28. 



Plumage. All the specimens, though apparently in breeding 

 plumage, as they have the bare space from which the bird plucks 

 the feathers at that season, are extremely light in color, as much if 

 not more so than the lightest European specimen ; the color of the 

 upper parts is more slaty, the brown of the fore-neck and throat 

 much duller, and with hardly any ferruginous or olive shade. There 

 are no specimens in winter plumage ; the young in downy plumage 

 resemble precisely those of the troille. 



Habitat. Farrellones Islands, near San Francisco, Cal. 



I have ventured to give a name to this bird, and I presume the 

 greater number of ornithologists would consider it to have a fair claim 

 to specific distinction, presenting as it does constant though slight 

 differences to troille^ and inhabiting a different region ; according to 

 the labels, the iris is white ; this if so, which I can hardly credit, would 

 be a strong character. I am by no means sure myself that the dif- 

 ferences are specific rather than of variety, but in either case it would 

 be desirable to distinguish it from the common bird of our coast. 

 Though when reduced to figures the differences seem to be very slight, 

 it can yet be easily recognized ; the greater straightness of .the bill. 



