of the United States. 425 



Feed on small Crustacea, which they collect under their 

 tongue. Breed socially : eggs but one, bluish-white. Flight 

 rapid, long sustained : travel as much in the air as in the 

 water : walk better than the other species. 



Form the passage to the genus Phaleris, by Phaleris cris- 

 tatella. 



375. Uria alle, Temm. Black, beneath and tips of the 

 secondaries white, under the wings black ; bill and feet black ; 

 bill very short, half as long as the head, a little curved. 



Summer plumage, whole head black. 



Little Auk, Alca alle, Wils. Am. Orn. ix. p. 94. pi. 74. 

 Jig. 5. Buff.pl. enl. 917. winter dress. Uria minor, Briss. 

 Mergulus alle. Vieill. Gal. des Ois. 295. adult. 



Inhabits the north of both continents, migrating in winter 

 to the coasts of the United States and Europe. 



86. PHALERIS. 



Alca, L. Gm. Lath. Vieill. Mormon, Fraiercula, Cuv. 



Phaleris, Temm. Ranz. 



Bill shorter than the head, dilated on the margins, almost 

 quadrangular, notched near the tip ; upper mandible depres- 

 sed on the sides, convex above ; curved at the point ; lower 

 somewhat compressed, angular beneath, truncated at tip : 

 nostrils medial, marginal, linear, pervious, half closed by a 

 naked membrane : tongue thick, entire. Head small, capis- 

 trum advancing but little on the base of the bill : eyes small : 

 neck short, stout, body massive. Feet placed very far 

 back : tibiae almost entirely drawn up into the belly ; tarsus 

 shorter than the middle toe, slender, compressed, sharply 

 carinated on both sides ; toes long, very slender, middle toe 

 longest ; inner shortest : webs full, entire : nails much in- 

 curved, very acute ; middle one longer, dilated internally. 

 Wings short, acute ; first primary longest. Tail of fourteen 

 feathers, of which the middle and outer are shortest. 



