47 



Nesting. Similar to the preceding species. 



Distribution. Somewhat more northern than that of the Common Murre. 



SUBSPECIES. The Thick-billed Guillemot occurs in the northern Pacific and Atlan- 

 tic oceans but as distinct subspecies. Our eastern form is the type and is known as Brtin- 

 nich's Murre. 



Briinnich's Murre is the only member of this family that is found on 

 the Great Lakes. The birds have at times come in hundreds on lakes 

 Ontario, Erie, and tributary waters in late autumn and early winter, 

 all in a starving condition, and none seem to survive or return to their 

 sea homes. These occurrences are as yet inexplicable. 



32. Razor-billed Auk. TINKER. PR. GOOD OR GUDD. LE PINGOTTIN COMMUN 

 Alca torda. L, 16'50. The Razor-billed Auk is of the same general appearance as the 

 last two species. 



Distinctions. Bill is considerably deepened and flattened (though not nearly as much 

 so as in the Puffin); it is thus easily distinguished from the Murre especially in summer 

 when a white line connects the eye and the base of the culmen, and the bill is crossed by 

 a white band near the tip. Bill of the winter juvenile is less characteristic but may still 

 be distinguished from that of the Murres. 



Field Marks. Deepened bill and, when swimming, cocked-up tail make good field 

 marks. 



Nesting. Similar to that of the two preceding species but rather less gregarious. 



Distribution. Frequents our Atlantic coasts north to the Arctic. 



33. Great Auk. GARE-FOWL. FR. LE GRAND PINGOUIN. Plautus impennis. L, 30. 

 The Great Auk was the largest of the American Divers. Its wings were so reduced in 

 size that though they made excellent swimming organs they were useless for other purposes 

 and hence the bird was unable to fly. As the species is now extinct no further description 

 is necessary. 



This bird had become so well adapted to an aquatic life that flying 

 was no longer necessary and consequently its wings became reduced 

 to mere swimming flippers like those of the penguins of the Antarctic, 

 and flight was impossible. Though as well able to live at sea as any fish 

 or marine animal, land was as necessary to it for reproduction as to any 

 other bird. Even then, if it had inhabited the very extremes of the Arctic 

 regions for nesting purposes it would probably have survived; but lonely 

 outlying rocks and islets about the British isles and, on our side of the 

 ocean, south to Newfoundland, were its nesting places and immediately 

 in the course of the fleets of hardy fishermen who early in our history 

 flocked to our shores. To them, these then countless thousands of large 

 sea birds inhabiting islets in the immediate vicinity of their fishing grounds, 

 so helpless on land that they could be killed in unlimited numbers with 

 sticks and clubs, were irresistible. They took full advantage of their 

 opportunities and the story passes current that to save labour, gang planks 

 were placed ashore from the boats and the unresisting birds were driven 

 aboard in droves to be clubbed to death on deck. Of course no numbers 

 could long resist such destruction and to-day the Great Auk is only an 

 interesting memory and is represented by only individual specimens and 

 fragments in a few favoured museums. 



34. Dovekie. SEA DOVE. PR. LE MERGTTLE NAIN. A lie alle. L, 8. The Dovekie 

 is a diminutive Diver, the smallest of its family in eastern Canada. When in our waters 

 it is generally black above and white on throat, cheek, and below. 



Distinctions. Its size is enough to separate it from any other Diver in eastern Canada. 

 Field Marks. Size and extremely rapid wing beats make the best field marks. 

 Nesting. On cliff ledges in the far north. 



Distribution. In summer in the far north in the eastern Arctic, in winter along the sea 

 coasts. 



