? 



? 



Catalogue of the Birds of Connecticut. ^ 273 



296. P. Carolinensis, Latham, Pied-billed Dab-chick, Stratford. 



Family Alcidce. .- 



*297. Mormon arcticus, Illiger, Puffin, Long Island Sound. 



298. Alca torda. Gmelin, Razor-billed Auk, L. Island Sound. 



299. Uria grylle, Latham, Black Guillemot, L. Island Sound. 

 *300. U. alle, Temminck, Little Auk, or Sea Dove, Stratford. 

 *301. U. Brunnechii, Sabine, Large-billed Guillemot, 

 302. U. troille, Latham, Foolish Guillemot, 



I would beg leave to add that I have not adopted the new ge- 

 neric names of Messrs. Swainson and Audubon, because I cannot 

 perceive the advantage of giving half a dozen or more new genera 

 to birds usually denominated Sylvia. A student, by a glance at 

 the bill, will perceive what is a Sylvia, and he then has only to 

 find the species. But if some are vermivora, and others sylvicola, 

 and culicivora, &c. &c, it appears to me only affording him un- 

 necessary trouble. Our synonyms are already so numerous and 

 perplexing, it appears rather desirable to reduce than to increase 

 new generic or specific names. I mention these facts, merely as 

 a reason why I have not (as it may appear to some members of 

 the Society) kept up with the age, or the new nomenclature. 



Elm Wood Place, Stratford, Conn., November, 1842. 



P. S. Since the publication of " the Catalogue of the Mam- 

 malia of Connecticut," I have obtained the Arvicula hirsutus of 

 Dr. Dekay, which he had described as a new species. He inform- 

 ed me, on the examination of my specimen, that he believed it 

 to be the same species. I took it when recently drowned in a 



always bloody. It has been reported that five hundred dead birds were found in 

 one morning last autumn, at the foot of the light-house on Falkner's (Falconer's) 

 Island. 





Ill VII 



297. The puffin and the following species are said by Audubon, Nuttall, and 

 others, to be found from New York to Newfoundland, and of course must occa- 

 sionally, at least, be in our Sound. 



*300. The little auk came on board a Stratford vessel, near Martha's Vineyard, 

 and was taken by Mr. John Brooks of this place, and brought alive to me. I 

 have therefore inserted the species here as one of our birds. 



*301. The young of the large-billed guillemot and the next species, (troille,) are 

 said by Nuttall, to be seen on the coast of the middle and northern states in win- 

 ter, and sometimes the old birds are seen here, but not so frequently as the young- 

 er. However, I have not seen them, and have omitted the insertion of some other 

 species, that perhaps have equal claim to our notice. Future opportunities may 

 afford us better evidence of their occasional visits to our little State. 



Vol. xliv, No. 2.— Jan.-March, 1843. 35 



