126 



CEUISE OF THE STEAMER CORWIN. 



The color of the downy plumage above Is of a dark smoky gray; darker, nearly blackish on <ho 

 head and sides of neck; chin, throat, and fore neck of the same general color, scarcely paler; rest 

 of the under surface light ashy gray, with very slight if any fuliginous tinge, in strong contrast to 

 the dai'k line of the npper parts and the neck, the darker line being very sharply defined. 



The collector's label indicates the color of the feet as "bluish, very light between the toes,' 

 under side black." 



The iris, according to the label of No. 100380, is " dark gray." 



Two other specimens agree very closely with the one described above, except tliat in No. 

 100370 the sides of the neck are considerably darker in the middle. The bills are scarcely shorter, 

 but the tip even more abruptly truncate. 



IJiincHsioiis (inches and dccimah). 



Simorhynchus cristatellus (/"ftH.) .3/err. [748]. The Crested Auk. (Plate 1.) 



Baird, Brewer, and Eidgway, Water Birds of North America, 1, p. 512. 



Downy young (U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 100374; J. B. Lntz, coll.. No. 33, Otter Island, July 22, 18S4.) 



The bill agrees in general shai)0 with that of the adults in winter before the curious nuptial 

 outgrowths have changed it so radically and is scarcely distinguishable from that of SimorhynchuH 

 py(jm(vus of the corresponding age. Color, dark horny brown, lighter on terminal half of lower 

 mandible. 



The color of the downy plumage is a uniform dark, smoky, and somewhat browui.sh gray, 

 scarcely lighter ou the under parts. 



According to the collector's label, "the legs and feet are slate color in front, black under- 

 neath." 



Iris, according to the same authority, "gray." 



Two other specimens. No. 100375 and No. 100377, are on the whole similar to that just 

 described, but tlie under parts are slightly lighter and grayer, especially No. 100377, wiiich, 

 according to the note on the label, was " taken from the egg," and has the bill whitisji, with dusky 

 tip and base. 



The fourth specimen is still lighter underneath, especially on the belly, whicli is nearly ash 

 color, and has besides a small white spot ou the chin. It has evidently just left the egg, and its 

 size prohibits its being referred to any other species. The difierences mentioned may, therefore, 

 be regarded as due to individual variation. 



Dimensions (inches and decimals). 



Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D. C, February 22, 1884. 



