BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 



SUBFAMILY FRATERCULIN^. PUFFINS. 

 GENUS FRATERCULA BRISSON. 

 Fratercula arctica (LiNN.). 



Puffin. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Adult, in winter. Bill quite stout, flattened laterally and nearly as high as long; 

 both mandibles with curved and distinct grooves ; bill and legs (dried skin) brown- 

 ish yellow ; upper parts and space on front of neck brownish-black ; throat and 

 sides of head grayish-white, under parts white. Length about 13^ inches ; extent 

 about 24 inches. 



Habitat. Coasts and islands of the north Atlantic, breeding on the North Ameri- 

 can coast from the Bay of Fundy northward. South in winter to Long Island, and 

 casually further. 



The Puffin or " Sea Parrot," as this bird is frequently called, has been 

 observed in Pennsylvania only as an accidental winter visitant. But 

 one specimen of this species has, so far as I can learn, been captured in 

 our state. This bird, now in the possession of Mr. Joseph Krider, of 

 Philadelphia, was killed by a gunner in the winter, about 1876, along- 

 the Delaware river, near Chester city. The Puffins, according to differ- 

 ent writers, breed either in crevices of high rocks or cliffs on the sea- 

 coast, or in burrows which they dig in the ground. These holes, it is 

 stated, are usually excavated to the depth of about three feet. " Their 

 food consists of various kinds of small fish, particularly sprats, the 

 smaller kinds of crabs, shrimps and sea-weeds, and it is not improbable 

 but that their sudden migrations are regulated by the presence or ab- 

 sence of certain kinds of fish on which they delight to feed." Nuttall. 



SUBFAMILY PHALERIN^I. GUILLEMOTS, ETC. 



GENUS CEPPHUS PALLAS. 

 Cepphus grylle (LiNN.). 



Black Guillemot. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Adult, in winter. Bill black, sharp-pointed, quite straight and shorter than the 

 head ; head, neck, under parts, rump, and space on wing white ; back, wings and 

 tail dark brown or black, mixed with white ; tarsi reddish. Length about 13 inches ; 

 extent about 23 inches. 



Habitat. Coast of northern Europe, south to Denmark and the British Islands. 

 Coast of Maine, south in winter to New Jersey. 



The Black Guillemot, an inhabitant of the dreary coasts and islands 

 of the north Atlantic, is a rare and irregular straggler in winter on the 

 Atlantic coast, southward to New Jersey. In Pennsylvania this species 

 has been observed as an accidental wanderer in winter. A specimen in 

 the museum at Lancaster city, Pa., was taken, it is said, on the Susque- 



