8 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



<?. Fore-neck and under side of head glossed with dull bronzy greenish, 

 sometimes inclining to purplish"; occiput and hind-neck very pale 

 smoky grayish, sometimes nearly white. Wing 11.20-12.25 (11.54); 

 culmen 2.00-2.35 (2.15) ; depth of bill at base .5S-.65 (.62). Eggs 

 3.11 X 1-92. Hab. Pacific coast of Korth America, from Alaska to 

 Lower California, breeding far northward. 



10. U. pacificus (LAWR.). Pacific Loon. 



a*. Tarsus longer than middle toe with claw. Fore-neck rich chestnut in summer ; 

 head and neck plumbeous gray, the top of head and hind-neck streaked with 

 white ; upper parts speckled with white. Summer plumage : Throat and 

 fore-neck plumbeous, like rest of head and neck, but marked down the mid- 

 dle with a wedge-shaped patch or stripe of rich chestnut. Winter plumage 

 and young : Throat and fore-neck white. Downy young : Above uniform 

 dusky, or sooty slate ; lower parts paler and more grayish. Length 24.00- 

 27.00; wing 10.00-11.50; culmen 2.25; tarsus 2.75. Eggs 2.82 X 1-76. Hab. 

 Northern portions of northern hemisphere, breeding in Arctic regions ; in 

 North America, south, in winter, nearly across the United States. 



11. U. lumme (GuNN.). Bed-throated Loon. 



FAMILY ALCID^. THE AUKS. (Page 4.) 



Nest a cavity among rocks, usually on face of cliffs. Egg single, variable as to 

 form and color. 



Genera. 



a 1 . Inner claw much larger and more strongly curved than the others ; corner of 

 mouth with a thick naked skin, or " rosette ;" bill excessively compressed, 

 nearly as deep as long, the terminal portion transversely grooved (except in 

 young), the basal portion with several accessory deciduous pieces, cast at end 

 of breeding season. (Subfamily Fraterculince.} 



b l . Basal outline of permanent (terminal) portion of upper mandible convex ; 

 lower mandible wholly destitute of grooves, in all stages ; grooves of 

 upper mandible with concave side toward tip of bill. Nuptial ornaments : 

 Deciduous nasal shield or saddle widest toward culmen, where forming 

 an arched and much thickened ridge ; eyelids without horny append- 

 ages ; on each side of head a large pendent tuft of lengthened, silky, 



straw-colored feathers Lunda. (Page 10.) 



b*. Basal outline of permanent (terminal) portion of bill concave, or nearly 

 straight and very oblique ; permanent (terminal) portion of lower man- 

 dible grooved (except in young) ; grooves of the upper mandible with 

 concave side toward base of the bill. Nuptial ornaments: Deciduous 

 nasal shield widest toward nostril ; basal outline of upper mandible con- 

 cave; eyelids furnished with horny appendages; head without orna- 

 mental tufts or plumes Fratercula. (Page 11.) 



