498 



THE DIVING BIEDS — PYGOPODES. 



specimen, in the British Museum, is recorded by Professor Newton in "The Ibis" for 1865, 

 p. 518 — said to have come from Iceland ; and in the "Arctic Manual" (1S75), p. 109, he remarks 

 that Holbdll says that he has seen in Greenland an "entirely black example," which is probably 

 the same species. The latest testimony that we have is that of Mr. L. Kumlien, who accompanied 

 the Howgate Polar Expedition in 1877-1878, and who saw "three entirely black specimens," 

 which were considered to be 0. carbo. " One was procured in Cumberland, but was lost." 



It will thus be seen that we have abundant and incontrovertible evidence of the existence in the 

 higher latitudes of the North Atlantic of a uniformly black or dusky Guillemot. Some authors 

 have referred it to 0. carlo, but it is evidently distinct from that species, which seems to be strictly 

 confined to the Asiatic coast of the North Paeitic. Others have considered it a melanism of 

 ft grylle ; but the larger size and very different proportions preclude the likelihood of such relation- 

 ship. Upon the whole, there can be little doubt that it is a distinct species, probably most nearly 

 related to ft carbo, and representing the latter in the North Atlantic. At any rate, it should be 

 kept in mind by those who have the opportunity of investigating the avian fauna of the northern 

 waters of the Atlantic. 1 



Genus BRACHYRAMPHUS, Braxdt. 



Brachyramphus, Bkandt, Bull. Ac St. Petersb. II. 1S37 (type, C'olymbus marmoratus, Gmel. ). 

 Apobapton, Brandt, 1. c. (same type). 



Char. Size small (wing less than 5.50 inches). Bill small and slender, much shorter than 

 the head (not longer than the short tarsus), compressed, and acute ; oilmen gently curved, gonys 

 nearly straight ; mandibular tomiuin notched near the tip, and greatly inflected toward the base ; 



nasal fossa; small, shallow, mostly filled with feathers, which nearly conceal the very small nostrils ; 

 head without ornamental plumes. 



The exact number of species composing this genus is a matter of some doubt. The following 

 key includes those whose validity is established, and also another (II. brevirostris), which, if not 

 identical with 11. Kittlitzi, must also be a well-marked species. 



1 A much more detailed history of this bird, by Dr. I.. Stejneger, in an article entitled Remarks on 

 the Spcics of the Genus Cepphus, will soon be published in the Proceedings of the United States 

 National .Museum. We have been kindly permitted by Dr. Stejneger to compile the information given in 

 the present article from his manuscript. 



