570 ORNITHOLOGY AND OOLOGY. 



and almost oval ones. The only means of perfect identi- 

 fication of either of these species is to visit their breeding- 

 places, and secure the parent birds on their nests. , *., 



The dimensions vary from 3.50 by 2.15 inches to 2.95 by 

 by 1.78 inch. 



URIA RINGVIA. BrunnicJi. 

 The Murre. 



Uria ringvia, Briinnich. Orn..Bor. (1764) 28. 

 Una troile, Audubon. Orn. Bor., III. (1835) 142. 



DESCRIPTION. 



About the size of, or rather larger than, the preceding; bill rather long, pointed, 

 compressed ; from the lateral feathers, longer than the tarsus, or than the inner toe and 

 claw; wings rather short ; tail very short ; a narrow line of white encircling and run- 

 ning backwards behind the eye and over the ear ; head and entire upper parts dark- 

 brown, with a tinge of ashy ; under parts white ; sides with transverse stripes of 

 ashy-brown; under wing coverts white; bill black; feet greenish-black; winter 

 plumage, with the throat and all other under parts, white; the white line behind the 

 eye frequently wanting, and different in length in specimens. 



Total length, about seventeen inches ; wing, seven and a half to eight inches ; 

 tail, two inches. 



Hob. Northern America, Northern Europe, and Asia. 



The same remarks are applicable to this as to the Foolish 

 Guillemot. It is northern in its habits, and is more abun- 

 dant on the coast of Maine than farther south. 



MERGULUS, RAY. 



Mergulus, RAY, Syn. Av. (1713), 125. 



Small ; general form short and heavy ; head rather large ; bill short, thick ; upper 

 mandible curved, slightly lobed on its edge ; membrane of the rounded nostril large ; 

 wings moderate or rather short, pointed ; first quill longest; tail short; feet rather 

 short. 



MERGULUS ALLE. Linnwus. 

 The Little Auk ; the Sea Dove ; Dovekie. 



Alca alle, Linnaeus. Syst. Nat., I. (1766) 211. 

 Uria alle, Audubon. Orn. Bor., IV. (1838) 304. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Small; head, breast, and entire upper parts, brownish-black, inclining to fuligi- 

 nous on the head and breast; under parts from the breast white; a narrow line of 

 white over the eye; secondaries tipped with white; scapulars edged with white; 



