NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 63 



Audubon's figure and description of the supposed young of this bird, under 

 the name of Uria Townsendii, is really that of the adult. His figure of the 

 supposed adult appears rather to represent Wrangeli. 



It is difficult, perhaps impossible, to determine Uria hrevirostris Vigors. This 

 is evidently, as far as can be judged by the description, a young bird. It be- 

 longs to the short-legged group of the present genus ; but whether it is the 

 young of ?narmor at us or of Wrangeli^ is a point which cannot be decided. The 

 expression "cajjite dorsoque albo-notatis,'' and the absence of any mention 

 of rust-color in the description, would lead one to assign it rather to 

 Wrojigeli. 



Brachyrhamphus Kittlitzii, Brandt, is another bird which has not been identi- 

 fied since its original description. Like U. brevirostris, it is evidently a young 

 bird, of the short-legged group; and the expression " fusco-flavescente undu- 

 lata" induces the presumption that it is really only a young mnrmoratus. But 

 it is possible that both it and B. brevirostris may be the young of the same spe- 

 cies, or of two different species, which yet remain to be identified. It is not 

 probable, however, that either of these names represent valid species, distinct 

 from each one of those recognized in this paper. 



Brachyrhamphus Wrangeli, Bratidt. 



Brachyrhamphus Wrangelii, Brandt, Bull. Acad. St. Petersburg, ii, 1837, p. 

 344. " Rostrum capitis dimidii circiter longitudine. Caput supra, nucha et 

 dorsum e nigricante grisea. Ahv et cauda nigra?. Reliqute partes, nee uon 

 stria longitudinalis supra alam, alb*. Tarsi digito medio breviores. Longitu- 

 dine a rostro apice ad caudae apicem 9J. Patria lusulce Aleutica;." Cassin, 

 Birds N. A. 1858, p. 917. Copies Brandt's diagnosis. 



Brachyrhamphus marnwraius, Cassin, B. N. A. 1858, p. 915, in part. Descrip- 

 tion of supposed adult viarmoratus is that of Wrangeli. 



Aleutian Islands, and north-west coast of America; south to Puget's Sound, 

 and perhaps further. Numerous specimens in Mus. Smiths. Inst. (No. 11,457, 

 perfectly adult, Puget's Sound, in February; No. 46,547, just fully fledged, 

 Sitka ; and others from same locality in various stages of adolescence ; No. 

 46,542, Sitka, in January.) 



Description (from No. 46,541, Mus. Smiths., perfectly adult male, Sitka, 

 March, 1866). — With the size and proportions of the several members as in mar- 

 moratus; the bill absolutely shorter, relatively rather stouter. Bill scarcely as 

 long as the tarsus. Tarsus much less than middle toe without claw. 



Adult. — Entire upper parts, except the scapulars, very dark cinereous, the 

 centres of the feathers, particularly on the back and rump, blackish, causing 

 these parts to appear obsoletely waved with blackish and cinereous; the crown 

 of the head, the wings and the tail, almost black, the larger wing coverts just 

 appreciably white-margined; scapulars almost entirely pure white, forming two 

 conspicuous broad longitudinal bands. Under wing coverts dusky brown ; 

 inner webs of the primaries the same, not fading, even at their extreme bases, 

 into whitish. Entire under parts pure white, immaculate, except some dusky 

 streaks on the long feathers of the sides and flanks. This white on the sides 

 of the head invades the lores to the level of the top of the orbits, and extends 

 into the nasal fossffi ; then lowers a little, so that the eyes are left in the dark 

 color of the top of the head; then on the nape extends almost to the median 

 line, across which a few white leathers extend to the white on the other side, 

 forming an imperfect nuchal collar; then extends in a straight line down the 

 middle of the side of the neck. On the sides of the rump the white extends 

 around so far, that the cinereous is only left as a band an inch wide. This 

 white on the sides of the rump is as apparent upon the upper surface as that 

 on the scapulars ; it is directly continuous with that of the under i)arls, but on 

 the flanks the long overlying cinereous feathers appear to separate it. Bill 

 wholly black. Tarsi posteriorly and toes interiorly blackish ; rest of the feet, 



1868.] 



