AUKS, MURRES, AND PUFFINS: Family Alcidae [ 3 17 ] 



Paroquet Auklet: 



Cyclorrhynchus psittacula (Pa J las) 



DESCRIPTION. "Bill dark red, high, and thin, with sickle-shaped lower mandible 

 curved upward. Breeding plumage: throat and upper parts sooty black; under parts 

 white; a white line from lower eyelid back over ear ending in a thin white crest. 

 Winter plumage and young: throat as well as rest of under parts white." (Bailey) 

 Downy young: " 'Fuscous black' on the crown, 'fuscous,' 'benzo brown,' or 'hair 

 brown' on the back, sides, throat and breast, and 'pale drab gray' on the belly." 

 (Bent) Si%e: "Length 9.00-10.40, wing 5.40-6.00, bill .60." (Bailey) Nest: 

 Crevice or cranny in the rocks, egg being laid on bare rock. Egg: i, pure white or 

 bluish white. 



DISTRIBUTION. General: Breeds on coasts and islands of Bering Sea. Winters on 

 north Pacific south casually to central California. In Oregon: Rare offshore winter 

 visitor. 



THE CURIOUS LITTLE Paroquet Auklet, with its upturned bright-red bill and 

 tiny white crest, is only an irregular winter visitor to Oregon waters. It 

 is seldom seen alive, and all our records are of birds found dead on the 

 beaches and preserved. The first specimen taken in the State was found 

 dead on the beach at Netarts, January i, 1913, by M. E. Peck and was 

 recorded in the Condor by Jewett (191413); the second was obtained at 

 Newport, January 2.7, 1914, by Jewett; and the third was found at Netarts, 

 January i, 192.1, by Alex Walker. In 1932. and 1933 several more speci- 

 mens were found by Jewett and Braly. Jewett has skins in his collection 

 taken at Taft (February 2.1, 1932.)* Ddake (February 5, 1933), Sunset 

 Beach, Clatsop County (3 skins, February 2.3, 1933), and Gleneden (Feb- 

 ruary 2.6, 1933). Our last record consisted of several specimens that were 

 too far gone to save, found on Clatsop County beaches January 12., 1935, 

 while we were on our last field trip together gathering material for this 

 book. 



The stomach of the bird found by Walker contained four seeds of Rhus 

 (sumac) and one of Lathyrus (a wild perennial pea), but the usual food of 

 the species undoubtedly consists of the varied forms of marine life eaten 

 by other similar sea birds. 



Rhinoceros Auklet: 



Cerorhinca monocerata (Pallas) 



DESCRIPTION. "Bill much compressed, longer than deep; in breeding season base 

 of bill surmounted by upright horn. Breeding plumage: upper parts dusky; sides of 

 head, throat, and rest of under parts plumbeous, except for whitish belly; side of 

 head with two series of white pointed feathers. Winter plumage: breast more uni- 

 formly gray; belly purer white; horn absent." (Bailey) Downy young: "Uniform 

 sooty grayish brown, very similar to corresponding stages of Lunda cirrhata [Tufted 

 Puffin], but rather lighter in color and with more slender bill." (Ridgway, 1887.) 

 Si^e: "Length 14-15.50, wing 7.15, bill from front edge of horn i." (Bailey) Nest: 



