ALGA.] AVES NATATORES. 261 



A. Torda, Temm. Man. d'Orn. torn. n. p. 936. Razor-Bill, Mont. 

 Orn. Diet. Bew. Brit. Birds, vol. n. p. 399. Razor-Bill Auk, 

 Selb. Illust. vol. n. p. 435. pi. 83. 



DIMENS. Entire length seventeen inches: length of the bill (from the 

 forehead) one inch six lines, (from the gape) one inch eleven lines ; of the 

 tarsus one inch three lines ; of the tail three inches four lines ; from the 

 carpus to the end of the wing seven inches six lines. 



DESCRIPT. (Adult in winter.} Crown of the head, nape, sides of the 

 neck, and all the upper parts, deep black ; from the eye to the middle of 

 the bill a narrow longitudinal interrupted white line : secondaries tipped 

 with white, forming a transverse bar on the wings : throat, front of the 

 neck, breast, and all the under parts, pure white; sides of the occiput 

 white mixed with cinereous, bounded beneath by a narrow black band 

 reaching backwards from the eyes : bill black, with three or four trans- 

 verse furrows, the middle one pure white: irides hazel: legs dusky. 

 (Adult in summer.) The narrow streak from the eye to the middle 

 of the bill pure uninterrupted white: head, throat, and all the upper 

 and fore part of the neck, deep brownish black: the rest as in 

 winter. (Young of the year.) Similar to the adult in winter plumage, 

 but easily distinguished by the smaller and narrower bill, without the 

 transverse white furrow : the white line from the bill to the eye obscure 

 and ill-defined : crown and nape cinereous black ; sides of the neck, and 

 towards the occiput, white, tinged with ash-colour: under parts pure 

 white. (Egg.) White; blotched and spotted with dark red brown and 

 blackish brown : long. diam. two inches nine lines ; trans, diam. one inch 

 ten lines. 



Like the Puffin, a regular summer visitant. Common on all the rocky 

 parts of the coast during the breeding season, and generally found in 

 large companies. Deposits a single egg, about the beginning of May, on 

 the tops and projecting shelves of the highest cliflfs. Food, sprats and 

 other small fish, and marine Crustacea. Obs. The Black-billed Auk of 

 English authors (A. Pica, Gmel.) is this species in its immature state. 



277- A. impennis. Linn. (Great Auk.) Wings very 

 short, not reaching to the rump : bill black : an oval white 

 patch in advance of the eye. 



A. impennis, Temm. Man. d'Orn. torn. n. p. 939. Great Auk, 

 Mont. Orn. Diet. Bew. Brit. Birds, vol. n. p. 397. Selb. Illust. 

 vol. n. p. 433. pi. 82. 



DIMENS. Entire length thirty-two inches: length of the bill (from 

 the forehead) three inches six lines, (from the gape) four inches two 

 lines ; of the tarsus two inches five lines ; of the tail three inches three 

 lines ; from the carpus to the end of the wing seven inches. 



DESCRIPT. (Summer plumage.) Head, nape, back, wings, and tail, 

 deep glossy black ; front and sides of the neck black tinged with brown : 

 immediately before the eye a large oval white patch : flanks dark ash- 

 colour ; rest of the under parts pure white : wings very short, incapa- 

 citated for flight ; secondary quills tipped with white : bill black ; crossed 

 obliquely by several transverse furrows and ridges : irides and legs black. 

 (Winter plumage.) " Unknown." TEMM. (J2gg.) Dirty white, tinged with 

 vellow ; blotched and streaked, principally at the larger end, with black : 

 long. diam. four inches ten lines; trans, diam. two inches nine lines. 



