Mer&dlus. birds. PALMIPIDES, 135 



and grey spots. — Young resemble the winter plumage of the old birds In 



■Zetland I have observed the birds with black plumage about the end of Fe- 

 bruary ; by the end of March they are common in this their summer dress. 



Gen. XCVII. MERGULUS. Rotche.— Bill shorter than 

 the head ; ridge arched ; symphysis short and oblique ; 

 margins inflected, 



216. M. melanoleucos. Common Rotche. — Breast, belly, 

 and a dot above the eyes, white ; the rest of the plumage 

 black. 



Will. Orn. 2G1.— Alca Alle, Linn. Syst. i. 211.— Little Auk, Penn. Brit 

 Zool. ii. 517 — Uria alle, Temnu Orn. ii. 928 — E, Little black and 

 white Diver A winter visitant of the northern coasts. 



Length 9, breadth 16 inches; weight 5 ounces. Bill black, short and thick, 

 like gallinaceous birds. Legs and toes yellowish. Irides hazel. Tip of the 

 secondaries white. In this, its summer dress, it was considered as a var. by 

 Pennant. In a specimen from Greenland, presented to me in 1809, by that 

 accomplished navigator Captain Scoresby jun., I was able to perceive the se- 

 ries of changes which the pkmiage of this bird undergoes in connection with 

 the seasons, the results of which were communicated to Montagu, (Orn. Diet. 

 Suppt.) In winter, the throat, sides, and front of the neck, become white, 

 more or less freckled Avith dusky ; in which state it is frequent on our shores. 

 Female similar. — Nest in holes or crevices on the bare rocks. Egg 1, bluish- 

 green. 



Gen. XCVIII. PROCELLARIA. Petrel— Nostrils unit- 

 ed into a single tubular opening on the upper part of the 

 bill. Lower mandible truncated. 



* Nail of the hill prominent, arched and toothed on the margin. 

 Tail rounded. Fulmar. 



217. P. glacialis. Fulmar Petrel. — Tail rounded ; plumage, 

 above, grey ; beneath, white. 



Haifert, Will. Orn. 300.— Fulmar, Martin, Descr. West Isles, p, 283 



P. gL Linn. Svst. i. 213. Penn. Brit. Zool. ii. 549. Temm. Orn. ii. 

 802 — N, Mallemacke — Breeds in St Kilda. 

 Length 17 inches; weight 22 ounces. Bill about 2 inches long, yeUow, 

 nail swollen. Legs dusky. Irides yellow. The head, neck, belly, rump, and 

 tail, pure white ; rest bluish-grey ; the wings inclining to dusky. Female si- 

 milar. — Nest in holes. Egg 1, white. — The young are grey, clouded Avith 

 brown, with a dusky spot in front of the eyes. The fulmar feeds on fish and 

 putrid carcases. 



** Nail of the hill not prominent Tail even or forked. Pe- 

 trel. 



218. P. pelagica. Stormy Petrel. — Tail even, the wings, 

 when closed, extending a little beyond its tip ; length of the 

 tarsus Iths of an inch. 



