32 THE BIRDS OF MAINE 



Subfamily PHALERIN^E. Auklets, Murrelets, Guillemots. 

 Genus CEPPHUS Pallas. 



27. Cepphnsff7ylle (Linn.}. Black Guillemot: Sea Pigeon; 

 Pigeon Murre.* 



Plumage in summer adults : sooty black except lesser wing coverts, linings 

 of the wings and outer half of greater wing coverts which are white ; bill 

 black ; feet bright red. Adult winter plumage : wings as in summer, rest of 

 plumage white, mixed with black above, pure white below. Immature plum- 

 age : above and below white mixed with black ; white of the wing coverts 

 mixed with black. Downy young : sooty, paler below. Wing 6.10 to 6.30 ; 

 culmen 1.10 ; tarsus 1.30. 



Geog. Dist. — Coast of northern Eiurope, south in winter to Denmark and 

 the British Isles, coast of Newfoundland, breeding south to Matinicus Rock, 

 Maine, and in winter rarely south to Connecticut and Long Island ; accidental 

 in Philadelphia. 



County Records. — Cumberland; common in winter, (Lord). Franklin; 

 accidental, (Richards). Hancock; locally common among the islands of the 

 coast and resident, general along coast in winter, (Knight). Knox; resident, 

 (Rackliff). Lincoln ; breeding in fair numbers in 1895, (Norton). Penobscot ; 

 once taken in Brewer in winter, (Hardy) ; occasional in fall on ponds and 

 lakes, (Knight). Sagadahoc; plenty in winter, (Spinney). Waldo; not rare 

 along the coast and in Penobscot Bay from fall to spring, (Knight) . Wash- 

 ington ; resident, (Boardman). 



The most western breeding place now known seems to be a 

 colony at Matinicus Rock, from thence eastward along the 

 coast colonies of greater or less extent nest on many of the 

 rocky outer islands. In certain places only a pair or so of 

 the birds breed while elsewhere even as many as 150 to 200 

 pairs congregate to nest. From Matinicus Rock eastward the 

 species is resident, while to the westward it occurs from fall 

 to spring along the coast. Inland stragglers are occasionally 

 reported, usually after severe storms. 



The Guillemot's summer home is where the surf rolls in on 

 the rocky sea walls of our outer islands. Here small scattered 

 groups may be seen sporting in the surf, diving for mussels and 



"♦The Post-pliocene formations of Maine have yielded the remains of a prehistoric Murre, 

 Urui affinis (Marsh) which is entitled to recognition as a prehistoric bird of this State and the 

 only one which has written its existence in the ancient rocks of this State. 



