80, 



As stated by Dr. Bn'ant, the dark parts of this species are rather paler in 

 tint than the average of those of troile. But this is not a diagnostic feature, 

 for it does not hold good in perhaps even a majority of instances. The iris, 

 according to the label, is white ; but Dr. Bryant remarks that he can hardly 

 credit this ; though if constant it would be a strong character. The only re- 

 liable diagnostic features are found in the shape of the bill, as just described. 

 In spite of the moderate amount of individual variation to which the bill is 

 subject, it always preserves its peculiar shape, which is sufficiently different 

 from that of troile to attract attention without direct comparison of specimens. 

 One feature which appears to have escaped Dr. Bryant's attention lies in the 

 inflation and eversion of the basal portion of the tomia of the upper mandible, 

 and their comparatively scanty feathering. This is an approach towards the 

 peculiar character of svarbag, though by no means attaining such development 

 as in that species. It is readily appreciable in amount in the majority of 

 specimens. 



It is worthy of note, that the peculiarities of bill which characterize this 

 species as compared with troile, are very much the same as those found in the 

 bill of U. columba, as compared with U. grylle. 



It is also to be observed, that the ringvia style of Murre has not been found 

 on the Pacific coast. Should the probability of its non-occurrence become a 

 certainty, the obvious inference woiild be additional evidence in favor of the 

 specific distinction of californica. 



Numerous examples of this species are in the Smithsonian Museum, among 

 them Dr. Bryant's types. The bird breeds much further south than its Atlan- 

 tic representative, occurring in summer on the coast of California. 



Among the specimens enumerated in the "Birds of North America" by 

 Mr. Cassin, under head of Uria ringvia, are two examples of this species, from 

 California. It is possible that this species rather than troile is alluded to by 

 Pallas under the name of Cepphus lomvia. 



The figure is not a very good representation, the culmen and gonys not being 

 straight enough. The under mandible, however, is well delineated. 



Lomvia svarbao, (Brunn.) Coues. 



Alca lomvia, L'lnniBns, Syst. Nat. Ed. x, 1758, p. 130, No. 4. " Rostro laevi 

 oblongo, mandibula superiore margine fiavescente." 



Uria lomvia, Bryant, Proc. Best. Soc. N. H., May, 1861, p. 75. Not of authors, 

 which is generally applied to troille Linn. 



Catarractes lomvia, Bryant, Mon. Gen. Cat. in Pr. B. S. N. H. 1861, p. 9, figs. 

 1 and 4. Verrill, Proc. Essex Inst, iii, 186:3, p. 160. 



i/na <?-o«7^e, Briinnich, Orn. Bor. 1764, p. 27, No. 109. "Rostro latiore et 

 breviore, cujus margines, etiam in exsiccatas exuviis, flavescunt." Not 

 Colyriibus troille Linn. 



Uria svarhag , Briinnich, Orn. Bor. 1764, p. 27, No. 110. Winter plumage. 



Cepphus arra, Pallas, Zoog, R.-A. ii, 1811, p. 347. 



Uria arra, Keyserling and Blasius, Wirb. Europ. 1840, p. 237. Cassin, Pr. 

 A. N. S. Phila. 1862, p. 324. (Northwest coast of America.) Naumann, 

 Naturg. Vog. Deutsch. xii, 1847, p. 536, pi. 333. 



Uria [Lomvia) arra, Bonaparte, Tabl. Comp. Pelag. Comptes Rendus, 1856, 

 xlii, p. 774. 



Uria [Calaractes) arra, Cassin, Baird's B. N. A., 1858, p. 914. 



Ulca arra, Schlegel, Urinatores Mus. Paj-s-Bas, livr. ix, 1867, p. 16. 



Uria Briinnichii, Sabiue, Trans. Linn. Soc. xii, 1818, p. 538. Temminck, Man. 

 Orn. 1820, ii, p. 924. Bonaparte, Synopsis, 1828, p. 424. Nuttall, Man. 

 Orn. ii, p. 529. Temminck, Man. Orn. ii. p. 576: p. 924. Reinhardt, Natur. 

 Bidrag. p. 18, No. 88. Yarrell, Brit. Birds, p. 348. Swainson and Rich- 

 ardson, F. B. A. 1831, ii, p. 477. Gould, Birds Europ. v, 1837, pi. 398. 

 Audubon, Orn. Biog. iii, 1835, p. 336, pi. 345; oct. ed. vii, pi. 472. Pea- 

 body, Rep, Nat. Hist. Mass. Birds, 1840, p. 400. Gray, Gen. Birds, iii, 1849, 



