238 "TURRES," AND "MURRES." 



With regard to the razor-billed auk, the "tinker," or " turre," 

 while on the subject of auks, I will say that I have noticed them 

 breeding on a small island in almost as large colonies as the parra- 

 keets. At the Fox Islands, off Kecarpwei River, they are very abun- 

 dant ; several of us landed, and had about the same sport Dr. Coues 

 mentions as having had with the puffins ; I noticed them in thous- 

 ands about several other small islands also, and am informed by 

 the inhabitants that this species was always very abundant about 

 this locality while much rarer and replaced by the " murre " farther 

 northward. They breed in the crevices of the rocks, long, deep, 

 and narrow ones being preferred. I did not find but a single egg, 

 but was repeatedly told by the people, that if I took the eggs, the 

 bird would lay again the next day. The inhabitants systematically 

 take all the eggs they can find on a given island regularly twice a 

 week throughout the breeding season, and find the birds so wonder- 

 fully accommodating that the last batch taken is nearly as numerous 

 as the first. The " turres " associate both with the " murres " and 

 the black guillemot. The latter bird lays its eggs, smaller, and 

 otherwise distinct, in similar situations and often the two are found 

 breeding side by side, but seldom in any quantities. 



With regard to the foolish guillemot, or " murres," I found them 

 breeding in similar situations and together with the razor-billed 

 auks. The egg is noted for its variable size and the nature of its 

 marking. I have taken them all the way ixom pure white, through 

 an endless series of blotches, and waved Hues of black, purple, and 

 brown, to an almost pure green, and blue, and even a delicate pink 

 barely spotted or marked at the larger end. The people on the 

 coast cannot tell whether either the turre or murre lays more 

 than a single egg, or whether they sit upon their eggs or allow the 

 sun to hatch them. I have been told, on apparently good authority, 

 that they do sit upon their eggs, and consequently are furnished 

 with a large, bare place upon the lower belly where they have 

 picked the feathers from themselves in order to make the proper 

 hollow in their downy covering for the egg to rest in — but I failed 

 to notice the spot upon any of the birds shot. I could not ascer- 

 tain, either, the period of incubation. 



