30 THE BIRDS OF MAINE 



County Records. — Audubon figures a specimen which he states was taken 

 at the month of the Kennebec River in the winter of 1831-'32, and though 

 the occurrence of this western and rather non-migrant species in the east 

 is a very strange and unusual circumstance, still it seems that we must accept 

 Audubon's record backed by his figure of it as correct. Followers of De Vries 

 might be induced to put forth a claim that Audubon's specimen was a 

 " mutant". 



Some sea fowl are very prone to wander long distances, but 

 the species in question does not seem ordinarily so inclined. 

 Possibly Audubon's specimen came through the "northwest 

 passage" and followed the coast downward. Possibly an inter- 

 change or mixing of labels may have given this specimen to 

 Maine. The truth we will never know and must accept the 

 record as given. In their western homes these birds nest in 

 colonies among the islands of the Pacific, each pair of birds 

 selecting a suitable cavity or making a burrow among the 

 rocks and in the earth. Only a single egg is laid at a time, 

 and while in the southern portion of its range, and especially 

 on the Farrallon Islands, two or three broods are said to be 

 reared, only one brood can be the rule northwards. A pure 

 white egg, sometimes faintly or even heavily spotted with 

 scattered marks of lilac, seems to be the rule. One taken on 

 South Farrallon Island, 35 miles west of San Francisco, July 

 10, 1895, measures 2.85 x 2.00. They are said to eat fish and 

 surface swimming crustaceans. 



Genus FRATERCULA Brisson. 



13. Fratercula arctica (Linn.). Puffin; Sea-Parrot. 



Plumage in summer adults : above blackish with a gray collar at back of 

 neck; breast, belly, sides of head and throat white; a horny process on 

 upper eyelid. Adult and immature winter plumage : portions of bill decidu- 

 ous : no horny process on upper eyelid ; plumage and especially the bill 

 duller colored. Wing 6.00 to 6.25 ; culmen 1.75; tarsus 1.00. 



Geog. Dist. — Coast and islands of the north Atlantic, south in winter on 

 the American coast to Long Island. On our coast breeding from Matinicus 

 Rock, northward. 



County Records. — Cumberland; not common winter visitant, (Brown, 

 C. B. P. p. 36). Hancock; winter visitant, (Dorr). Knox; two pair nesting 



