16 



NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS EGGS. 



, 



SI. 



[Buff.] 



23. Marbled Murrelet. Rra- 

 chyramphus marmoratus. 



Range. North Pacific Coast, 

 breeding from Vancouver Island. 

 South in winter to southern Cal- 

 ifornia. 



In the breeding plumage, 

 this bird is brownish black above, 

 barred with rusty and below is 

 marbled with brownish gray and 

 white. Its nesting habits and 

 eggs are very similar to those of 

 the Ancient Murrelet, they plac- 

 ing their single eggs in holes in 

 the ground or crevices among 

 the cliffs. Size 2.20x1.40. 

 Data. Chichagof Is., Alaska, June 18, 1898. Single egg in crevice on face of 

 cliff. Large colony breeding in company with Ancient Murrelets. 



24. Kittlitz Murrelet. Brachyramphus brevirostris. 



Range. North Pacific Coast in 

 the Aleutian Islands and north to 

 Unalaska, breeding on isolated 

 islands throughout its range. 

 This species is very similar to 

 the Marbled Murrelet, the chief 

 difference being in the bill which 

 is shorter. They have been 

 found breeding on the same 

 islands with the preceding 

 species. Their single white egg 

 is laid in crevices in the cliffs. 

 Size 2.40 x 1.30. Data. Sanak 

 [White.] Is., Alaska, June 25,1899. Nest in 



a hollow under a bunch of rank 



matted grass. Many ancient Murrelets breeding on same island. Collector, 



Capt. Tilson. 



25. Xantus Murrelet. Brachyramphus hypoleucus. 

 Range. Resident along the coasts of southern and Lower California. 



This bird is blackish above and entirely 

 white below, including the sides of the 

 head below the eye. The whole of the 

 under surface of the wing is also white. /*^ 

 They breed on the coast islands from 

 Santa Barbara southward. The single J|y 

 egg is laid at the end of a burrow or in 

 crevices among the rocks. It is a pale 

 buffy white in color and thickly, but 

 finely dotted over the whole surface with 

 purplish brown, and with some larger 

 spots at the larger end. Size 2.05 x 1.40. 

 Data. Galapagos Islands, March 2,1901. 

 No nest. Single egg laid in a crevice in the 

 rocks. Collector, Rollo H. Beck. 



\ 



I Pale buff.] 



