Desceiptive List 23 



2. Bill not very short, the angle of chin much nearer to nostril than to tip of bill. See 3. 



3. Nostril exposed, overhung by a horny scale. Cepphus. 



3. Nostril more or less completely concealed liy dense velvety feathers. See 4. 



4. Bill nan'ow; tail rounded, the feathers not pointed. Uria. 



4. Bill very deep, much compressed, one or both mandibles grooved in adult. Tail gradu- 



ated, its feathers pointed. Alca. 



One species of the genus Frakrcula, the Puffin, F. orlica {Linn.), is known to wander as far 

 south as Delaware Bay, and hence is mentioned here. It may be known by the high bill, 

 decorated by transverse ridges. 



One species of the genus Cepphus, the Black Guillemot, C. grylle. (Linn.), sometimes appears 

 in New Jersey in winter. It has pure white underparts, varied above with black. The black 

 wings have each a large white patch, and the greater wing-coverts are black for at least their 

 basal lialf. It may possibly be found off oia- shores in severe winters. 



Genus Uria (Briss.) 



KEY TO SPECIES 



One species of this genus has been taken as a straggler on our coast, and another 

 seems just as likely to occur. The two may be distinguished as follows: 



1. Depth of bill at angle of mouth less than I3 culmen. Basal portion of cutting edge of 

 upper mandiljle always dusky or similar in color to rest of mandible. Murre. 



1. Depth of bill at angle more than Jj culmen. Basal portion of cutting edge of upper man- 

 dible thickened and conspicuously light colored in adult. Briinnich's Murre. 



6. Uria lomvia lomvia {Linn.). Brunnich's Murre. 



Ads. in summer. — Upperparts, wings, and tail sooty black; foreneck somewhat browner; 

 tips of secondaries, breast and belly white; base of upper mandible greenish, roimded outward 

 beyond edge of lower mandible. "L., 16.50; W., S.40; Tar., 1.30; B., 1.2.5; depth of B. at 

 nostril .47. 



Remarks. — Adults are to be distinguished from adults of U. t. Iroile by the darker color of 

 the head, which in loniria is darker than the throat, by the size of the bill and thickening of 

 its cutting edge at the base. Winter and immatm'e birds can be distinguished from those of 

 U. t. Iroile only by the size of the bill, which, as the measurements show, is longer in that 

 species. (Chap., Birds 0} E. N. A.) 



Range. — Breeds on the coasts and islands of the North Atlantic from Gulf of St. Lawrence 

 northward. Casually in winter to South Carolina. 



Range in North Carolina. — Two specimens taken on the coast in winter. 



This is a bird of the ojjen northern seas, and its occurrence in the South must be 

 considered very rare. Pearson procured one in the flesh at New Bern, Craven 

 County, which was said to have been killed on Neuse River, December 22 or 23, 

 1896. The mounted skin is preserved in the museum at Guilford College. William 



5. Post, of New York, writes that he received one in the flesh from Currituck Sound, 

 January 3, 1901. 



Genus Alca (Linn.) 



7. Alca torda (Linn.). Razor-billed Auk. 



Ads. in summer. — Upperparts, wings and tail sooty black; foreneck somewhat browner; tips 

 of secondaries, a Une from eye to bill, breast, and belly white; bill black, crossed by a white 

 band. Ads. in winter. — Similar, but with sides and front of neck white. /?«. — Similar to 

 adult in winter, but with bill smaller and without wliite bar. L., 16.50; W., 7.90; Tar., 1.35; 

 B., 1.25. {Chap., Birds of E. N. A.) 



Range. — North Atlantic, breeds from Greenland to New Brunswick, winters from the latter 

 place to Long Island and casually to North CaroUna. 



Range in North Carolina. — Taken in winter of 1890 off Cape Lookout. 



