AUKS, MURRES, AND PUFFINS: Family Alcidae [315] 



little diver is found in the mouths of bays and in the ocean just offshore, 

 where its expertness in the water is a marvelous sight. Gabrielson has 

 had numerous opportunities to watch these birds working about the 

 docks on Puget Sound. As they dive beneath the surface, the wings are 

 spread out and used exactly as a pair of oars to drive the birds through 

 the water. The feet are also used, at least part of the time. The birds 

 actually fly under the surface, sometimes emerging from the water in full 

 flight. The flight is strong and direct. 



Very little is known about the food of this species in Oregon waters, 

 but it undoubtedly consists of small marine life of the same general type 

 as that eaten by its near relatives. 



Ancient Murrelet: 



SynMiboramfhus antiquus (Gmelin) 



DESCRIPTION. "Bill small and short, nostrils exposed; front of tarsus covered with 

 transverse scutellae. Breeding plumage: head and neck black, with large white patch 

 on side of the neck, a wide stripe of white filaments along back edge of crown, and 

 scattered white filaments over back of neck; back slaty; sides black; under parts 

 white. Winter plumage: throat white; head and back without white filaments; sides 

 gray." (Bailey) Downy young: In the downy young the upper parts are of jet black, 

 including the back, wings, crown, and sides of the head to a point below the eye; 

 there is a whitish auricular patch in the black area back of the ear; the occiput and 

 the whole dorsal region seems to be clouded with bluish gray, due to a subterminal 

 portion of each filament being so colored; the under parts are pure white, slightly 

 tinged with yellowish." (Bent) Si%e: "Length 9.50-10.80, wing ^.-L^-^.^O, bill 

 .60." (Bailey) Nest: An abandoned burrow of Cassin's Auklet, a crevice in the 

 rocks, or a burrow under a tussock of grass. Eggs: 2., deep buff, spotted and marked 

 with light brown and lavender of various shades. 



DISTRIBUTION. General: Breeds on coast and islands of north Pacific, from northern 

 Japan and Queen Charlotte Islands northward to Aleutians. Winters southward to 

 southern California and Japan. In Oregon: Winter visitor to coast. 



THE ANCIENT MURRELET is another of the northern nesting Alcidae that 

 is fairly rare on the Oregon coast. Our only records are of birds found 

 dead or dying on the beaches of Clatsop, Tillamook, and Lincoln Coun- 

 ties, mostly in the winter months. Jewett has four winter skins from 

 Netarts Bay in his collection (December 2.8 and 31, 1912.; December 30, 

 19x8; and December 14, 1933) and one from Delake (January 14, 1933). 

 He has one skin from Neskowin as early as August 12., 192.8, and a spring 

 specimen from Netarts Bay as late as April 2.8, 1915. In the winter of 

 1931-33 Ancient Murrelets died by the dozens along the Oregon coast, 

 and every collector who visited the coast obtained a number of these 

 somewhat erratic visitors. Gabrielson caught several alive that were 

 exhausted and emaciated on December 2.7 to 2.8, 1932., and more birds 

 were picked up at intervals well into February. Prior to this visitation 

 its appearance had been that of a straggler, of which a specimen was 

 occasionally taken. 



