4 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OP 



for as many valid species, representing as many distinct genera. Tlie twelftli 

 edition (of 17GG) gives us nothing new. 



(17G0.) Biiisso}^, Ornithologia. — Tliis author gives excellent descriptions of 

 the then known species, but adds no new valid ones, though several stages of 

 plumage are characterized under distinctive names. He was a polynomialist 

 — to our lasting regret, and his great misfortune — and therefore not authorita- 

 tive in the mtitter of species. With those, however, who quote him for genera, 

 his Fratercala will stand as the name of the genus of which Alca arctica Linn, 

 is the type ; and his Una for that one typified by Uria grylle. 



(iTG-t.) Brunnich, Ornithologia Borealis. — This author was a strict binomi- 

 alist ; the question of the adoption of his names only hinges upon the accepta- 

 tion of Linnaeus at 1758 or at 17GG. Briinnich's names are in general employ, 

 as they should be. The chief point of this work, regarding the Auks, is the 

 characterization of Uria ringnin, which, though known long before, had been 

 usually referred to troile. Briinnich describes the young or winter plumage of 

 Ulamniiia tarda under the names " unisulcata " and "baltliica;" the young 

 Fratercala arctica as "Alca deleta ;" the albino Mergulus alien's "Alca Candida;" 



various plumages of Uria grglle as " grylloides," " balthica," and (No. 



116). Briinnich's " Uria lomvia " is Colgmhus troille Linn. ; his " Uria troille " 

 ami " Uria svarbag " are both Alca lomuia Linn. ; his " Uria alga " is ringoia 

 Briinn. in winter plumage. His descriptions, though brief, are all recognizable. 

 (Species now eight.) 



(L769 ) P.VLLAS, Spicilegia Zoologica,, fasc. v. — Among the writers of the 18th 

 century, no one contributed so much to a knowledge of the Alcidm as Dr. 

 Pallas. He introduced more new valid species than any other writer, and gave 

 us our first knowledge of some of the curious forms from the North Pacific. 

 His works claim the high eulogium, that every one of the species they contain 

 are identifiable from the descriptions, and that a species is very rarely twice de- 

 scribed as new. In the Spicilegia four species are for the first time described : 

 Alca cirr/iata, A. psittacula, A. cristatelht and .4. tetracula. A white state of 

 plumage of Uria grgllc [ov possibly of U. columba) is described as " Cephus 

 lacteolus." The four species above mentioned are well described, and illus- 

 trated by plates. (Species now twelve ) 



(1785.) Pennant, Arctic Ziologg. — Although the author used only vernacular 

 names, his work must be here considered, since in it four species are for the 

 first time presented. These are the " Antieut Auk" (for which the author is 

 indebted to Dr. Pallas' MS.), the "Labrador Auk," the " Pigmy Auk," and the 

 " Marbled Guillemot." The second and third of these are very dubious spe- 

 cies, which have never beeu located to the entire satisfaction of ornithologists 

 (cf. infra, under head of Fratercala arctica and Simorhynchus pusillus) ; the first 

 and fourth are good species. In this work the future Uria columba is hinted 

 at, but not named. (Species now fourteen.) 



(1788.) Gmelin, Sgstema Naluree. — In this compilation by the professional 

 plagiarist nothing new is given, but some points require notice. The genera 

 Alca and Colgmhas retain, in general, their Linn^an signification. Pennant's 

 four species, above noticed, appear in proper Latin garb, as Alca antiqua, A. 

 labradorica, A. pygmxa and Colymbus marmoratus ; Pallas' four species are 

 continued. " Cepphus lacteolus" Pallas re-appears as " Colymbus lacteolus." 

 Linnasus' " Colymbus " troille is repeated, of course ; but the other two species 

 of Murre, though having already made their debut, are discontinued, unless 

 one of them is intended by a certain " Colymbus minor" Gra., for which 

 Briinnich's Nos. 110, 111, are cited. Alca -^ pica," and .4. " balthica " are 

 perpetuated. (No additions ; species still fourteen.) 



(1790.) Latham, Index Ornithologicus. — This is the one of Dr. Latham's seve- 

 ral works in which species are binomialized, and it is therefore the authorita- 

 -tive one. Except in adopting Uria (after Brisson), the Index is nearly a repeti- 



[Jan. 



