ereJ, the nostrils wholly obtected by feathers. Feathers on side of lower 

 niaudible retreating in a straight line obliquely upwards and backwards from 

 interranial space to rictus. Wings moderately long; tail exceedingly short, 

 the latter contained about three and two-thirds times in the length of the for- 

 mer from carpus to end of longest primary; tail much rounded. Tarsus much 

 compressed, posteriorly and laterally reticulate, anteriorly scutellafe, much 

 shorter tliau the middle toe and claw. Outer and middle toes about etiual in 

 length ; the claw of the latter much larger than that of the former ; tip of inner 

 claw reaching base of middle one. Claws compressed, moderately arched, 

 acute, the outer one not grooved on its outer face, the middle one greatly di- 

 lated along its inner edge. A furrow in the plumage behind the eyes. 



The genus as here constituted is restricted so as to comprehend only Iroile 

 and the species intimately related. It differs from JJria proper in several 

 points, some of them of decided importance. For the benefit of those who may 

 be sceptical regarding the propriety of separating the two forms as genera, their 

 distinctive characters are here antithetically tabulated: 



LoMViA [troile). 



Bill much longer than the tarsus ; 

 much compressed. 



Rictus decurved for great part of its 

 length. 



Uria [grylle). 



Bill about equal to the 

 moderately compressed. 



Rictus straight, except just at tip. 



tarsus 



Gonys straight, half as long as cul- 

 men. 



Upper mandible not grooved. 



Tomial edges of upper mandible 

 scarcely inflected. 



Nasal fossa; wide, deep, mostly naked ; 

 nostrils partially covered with feathers. 



Feathers on side of lower mandible 

 forming a salient rounded outline. 



Tail short, slightly rounded, con- 

 tained 2^ times in the wing. 



Tarsus entirely reticulate. 



Tarsus scarcely shorter than middle 

 toe without claw. 



Outer face of outer claw grooved. 



Size moderate ; no postocular furrow 

 in the plumage. 



Gonys concave, nearly as long as 

 culmeu. 



Upper mandible grooved near the tip. 



Tomial edges of upi>er mandible much 

 inflected. 



Nasal fossffi narrow, shallow, feath- 

 ered ; nostrils covered with feathers. 



Feathers on side of lower mandible 

 in a straight oblique line. 



Tail very short, much rounded, con- 

 tained 3| times in the wing. 



Tarsus anteriorly scutelhite. 



Tarsus much shorter than middle toe 

 without claw. 



Outer face of outer claw not grooved. 



Size large ; a postocular furrow in 

 the plumage. 



Species — (4 ?). 



I. Depth of bill opposite nostrils not more than a third of the length of culmen. 



No white on sides of head ; bill slender, not dilated at 



base; culmen, rictus and gonys much curved 1. troile. 



A white ring and line on sides of head ; bill as in 



troile .. , 2. rinyvia. 



No white on sides of head ; bill stout, dilated at base ; 



culmen, rictus and gonys nearly straight 3. californica. 



II. Depth of bill opposite nostrils more than a third of the 



length of culmen 4. svarbag. 



LoMViA TROILE, (Linn.) Brandt. 



Lomvia Hoieri, Ray, Syn. Meth. Av.,p. 120 ; fide Bryant. 

 Uria major, Ger. i, p. 549 ; fide Bryant. 

 Plautu-i rostra larino, Klein. Av., p. 146, No. 2 ; fide Bryant. 

 Colymhus troille, Linnaeus, " Fn. Suec, ed. of IT6I, No. 109." Idem, Syst. Nat. 

 i, 1766, xii ed. p. 220; not Uria troille, Briinn., which is Alca lomvia, Linn., 



