ALCTD.E — THE AUKS — CICERONIA. 



507 



tory, and on Shoal-water Bay. In regard to its breeding-habits and its other specific 

 peculiarities, we have no information. Dr. Suekley only states in regard to it that 

 it is found in summer at Puget Sound ; while Dr. Cooper presumes that it has about 

 the same range as the Braehyram/phus marmorabus, and so far as he has observed 

 has similar habits. It is said to be common at Hakodadi in October. 



Genus CICERONIA, Reichenbach. 



Ciceronia, Eeichenb. Syst. Avium, 1852, p. iii (type, Plmleris microceros, Brandt, = Uria pusilla, 

 Pall. ). 



Ciceronia pusilla. 



THE KNOB-BILLED AUK; LEAST AUK. 



Uria pusilla, Pall. Zoog. Rosso-As. II. 1826, 373, pi. 70 (excl. syn. ). 



PhaUris pusilla, Cass. Pr. Ac. Nat. Sci. Philad. 1862, 324; in Baud's B. N. Am. 1S58, 909.— 



Baird, Cat. N. Am. B. 1859, no. 723. 

 Simorhynchus pusillus, Codes, Pr. Ac Nat. Sci. Philad. 1S68, 4S, fig. 12, figs. 227, 228 ; Key, 1872, 



343 ; Check List, 1873, no. 624 ; ed. 2, 1SS2, no. 861 ; Elliott's Alaska, 1875, 208. 

 Ciceronia pusilla, Ridgw. Nom. X. Am. I!. 1881, no. 750. 



Phalcris comiculata, Eschsch. Zool. Atl. IV. 1831, 4, pi. 16 (= summer adult). 

 Phalcris microceros, Brandt, Bull. Ac. St. Petersb. II. 1837, 346 (= summer adult). — Cass, in 



Baud's B. N. Am. 1S58, 90S. — Baird, Cat. N. Am. B. 1859, no. 722. 

 Simorhynchus microceros, Coues, Pr. Philad. Acad. 1868, 46, fig. 11. 



Phalcris pygnwa, Brandt, Bull. Ac. St. Petersb. II. 1837, 347 (not Alca pygmcca, Gmel. 1788). 

 Phalcris nodirostra, Bonap. Comp. List, 1838, 66 (= summer adult). — Aud. Orn. Biog. V. 1839, 



101, pi. 402 ; B. Am. VII. 1844, pi. 468. 



Hab. Coasts and islands of the North Pacific, south to Japan and Sitka, north to the Prybilof 

 Group. 



Sp. Char. Adult, breeding-plumage : Bill very short, the depth and width through the base 

 about equal to the length of the culmen, which is decidedly arched ; gonys slightly convex ; top 

 of the cere furnished with a small semicircular compressed tubercle. Upper parts almost wholly 

 deep slate-black, inclining to glossy black in some specimens ; inner scapulars usually white, fonn- 



Smnmcr adult. 



ing more or less of a longitudinal patch on each side of the back ; inner greater coverts and secon- 

 daries also usually tipped with white. Forehead ami hues more or less conspicuously ornamented 

 w : ith delicate acuminate white feathers, a few of which, narrower and more thread-like, extend 

 backward in a narrow streak from the rictus across the cheeks, while a more conspicuous line of 



