208 ALCID^E. 



Genus MERGULUS, Vieillot, Anal. p. 67 (1816). 



Mergulus = the little diver, mergus. 



Mergulus alle. LITTLE AUK. 



Ale a Alle, Linnaus, S. N. i. p. 211 (1766). 

 Mergulus alle, Naum. xii. p. 552; Macg. v. p. 341 ; Gould, v. 



pi. 50; Dresser, viii. p. 591. 

 Arctica alle, Hewitson, p. 465 ; Gray, p. 221. 

 Mergulus melanoleucos, Yarr. ed. 2, iii. p. 465 ; id. ed. 3, iii. 



p. 468. 



Alca alle, Harting, p. 71. 

 The Little Auk, Yarr. ed. 1, iii. p. 358. 



Alle, the Lapp name of the Long-tailed Duck ; cf. Swedish Al-fogel ; perhaps 

 from the bird's note. 



An irregular visitant, sometimes in large numbers, to the 

 British coasts, especially in the north. It inhabits the cir- 

 cumpolar regions of the western Palsearctic and eastern 

 Nearctic Regions, straggling southwards in winter. 



Genus FRATERCULA, Brisson, Ornith. vi. p. 81 (1760). 



Frdtercula, as if from fraterculus a little brother, frdter. The mediaeval 

 name, from its gregarious habits. 



Pratercula arctica. PUFFIN. 



Alca arctica, Linnaeus, S.N. i. p. 211 (1766). 



Lunda arctica, Naum. xii. p. 577. 

 Mormon arcticus, Macg % v. p. 365. 



Fratercula arctica, Hewitson, p. 466 ; Yarr. ed. 2, iii. p. 469 ; 

 id. ed. 3, iii. p. 472; Gould, v. pi. 51 ; Harting, p. 70; 

 Dresser, viii. p. 599. 



Fratercula arctica et glacialis, Gray, p. 218. 

 The Puffin, Yarr. ed. 1, iii. p. 362. 



Arctica = inhabiting the northern regions. 



Breeds in suitable localities all round the coasts of the 

 United Kingdom, migrating southwards in winter. It in. 

 habits the coasts of North-western Europe and Eastern 

 North America. 



