218 AVES : LONGIPENNES. — XXXII. 



W. 8}. T. 3\. \\. \]. N. Atl., S. to Conn. (I-:u.) (An old 

 niinu'.) 



326. PLAUTUS l)i imnich. (ttXwj, swimnuT.) 



G40. P. impennis (I..). (Iukat Auk. Black above; lower 

 parts aiui lips of si-condaries white. L. 2!). W. 5|. H. 3 J. N. 

 Atl., formerly S. to Mass.; now wholly extinct. " His Grace, the 

 Al'K, who lost the use of his win<^s, and j)erished off the earth in 

 conse(iuence." {Coues.) (Lat., wingless.) 



327. ALIiE Link. (Swedish name.) 



641. A. alle (L.). Duvkkie. Upper parts black, the second- 

 aries tijjped with white ; stjoty-brown in summer. L. 8. W. 4|. 

 B. ^. Arctic, S. to N. J. (Eu.) 



Order XXXII. .LONGIPENNES. (The Long-winged 

 Swimmers.) 

 Feet i)alniate; tilna feathered; legs inserted near the centre of 

 e(iuilil)riinn so that the bird stands with the axis of the body nearly 

 horizontal; hind toe small and elevated, sometimes wanting. Bill 

 usually long, horny, not serrate nor lamellate; nostrils developed, not 

 tubular; no gular pouch. Wings very long and pointed; tail well 

 developed. Palate schizognathous. Altricial. ^Vate^ birds, of 

 great powers of flight, feeding chiefly on fishes. 

 a. Bill with the lower mandible not produced nor specially compressed. 

 b. CoverinR of upper mandible in three parts, a hook at tip, a sort of cere 

 overhanging nostrils, and a lateral piece. . . Stekcokajuiu.*;, 127. 

 bb. Covering of upper mandible of a single piece pierced by the nostrils. 



L.MUO K, 1-28. 

 aa. Bill with the lower mandible much lonfjer than upper, the terminal part 

 of both mandibles much compressed, like a knife-blade. 



liiivNCHorin.E, 129. 



Family CXXVII. STERCORARIID^. (Tiik J.kgeks.) 

 Gull-like birds, with the bill hooked and " cered ; " tail s(piare, 

 with the middle pair of feathers long-i'xserted; tibia naked In-low; 

 tarsus scutellate in front, graiudar behind. Two genera with 4 

 species, "marine llaptores," large, vigorous, rapacious, living by 

 robbing the terns and smaller gulls. 



a. Depth of bill at base at least half lenj^th of upper mandible (measured along 

 side); tarsus shorter than middle toe and claw; tail short, nearly even. 



MKti.vi.KsTius, .328. 

 aa. Depth of bill at base not half length of upper mandible; tarsus longer 

 than middle toe and claw; middle tail feathers (in adult) very lonj;. 



Stki{(oiiakius, .329. 



328. MEGALESTRIS H<)naj)arte. (/ic'yar, large ; Xr^oTptr. pirate.) 

 61'-'. M, skua (linmnich). Skia (Jim.. Cirayish-brown, L. 

 22. W. 1«. B.J. N. Atl., rarely S. to Mass. (A'».) (F»roese 

 name.) 



