12 



RINGED GUILLEMOT. 



Winter Adult. Similar to tlie summer adult, l:)ut the white beneath is more extended, encroacliing 

 on the tliroat and sides of the head. 



YotNc. Similar to the winter adult, hut the white of the lnwcr neck is more extended. The downy 

 young of lioth the Ringed and Brunnich's Guillemots are indistinguishable from those of the Murre. 



OBSERVATIONS. 

 Distinguished at once from the Murre and Brunnich's Guillemots by the conspicuous white ring anmnd 

 the eye. Compare head of Ringed Guillemot, Fig. 2, on this page, with head of ?»Iurre, Fig 1, page 1. <-)c- 

 curs only on the American coast, from the Gulf of St. Lawrence, northward; wintering a little soutln\ard. 



DIMENSIONS. 

 Measurements of specimens. Length, 17-0;) to ls-()0; stretch, 2:i-<:»:) to :J()-00: wing, T'M to H-OO; tail, 

 2'(K) to 2-.-.0: bill, l-G.") to I'SO; tarsus, 1-40 to l-o-V 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 

 EuGS, placed on the slielves of rocky cliffs, one in number, ]iyriforni in shape, varying from white to 

 bluish green in color, spotted and lined with brownisli Ijlack. Dimensions, from r?-") x 2-li(l t(.) 2-()U x o'(_K). 



HABITS. 



I I'duiid the peculiarly niai'ked Rin<i-ed Guillemot breeding;' on Bird Hock the iirst 

 week in July, 1873. Tliev were fur iroiii counnon, there beiuti; only about twerdy-live 

 pairs oil the rock, but a.s they were in every ease mated, I have always considered that 

 this was conclusive evidence of their claim to specific rank. Tiiey are, however, closely 

 allied to the Murre, which they resemble in habit. 



Since the above was written, I learn from the Auk lor April, LSSO, that my ^■iews 

 concernmg the specific raidv of the Ringed Guillemot are confirmed by Dr. Louis B. 

 Bishop, who visited Bird Rock in 188S. Dr. Bishop in his interesting accou;it of the 

 birds of Great Bird Rock, in speaking of Uria ringvia says: "About a dozen specinieiis 

 * '■''• * '■''• * were breeding on the cliffs of Great Bird Rock. As far as wc Avere able to 

 judge from the limited time at our disposal, they Avere in pairs, and seemed lo be en.ti- 

 tled to the rank of a distinct species." The diminution of specimens from .-^onie lift\- to 

 twelve, in fifteen years, prolialdy represents the proportionate decix-a.-^e of all the species 

 of birds that occur on the rock. 



Fig. 2. Head of Ringed Guillemot, Uria ringvia. 



