214 ALCIN^E. MERGULUS. 



they often fly in small strings, low over the water, now in- 

 clining a little to one side, then to the other. On the ground 

 or rock they move little about, although they can walk tole- 

 rably well. All the breeding-places are to the north of the 

 Tweed and Solway. The species is distributed over all the 

 northern coasts of Europe and America. 



Greenland Dove. Doveky. Sea Turtle. Little Guillemot. 

 Spotted Guillemot. Puffinet. Tystie. 



Colymbus Grylle, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. 200. Uria Grylle, 

 Lath. Ind. Ornith. ii. 797. Uria Grylle, Temm. Man. d'Or- 

 nith. ii. 925. Uria Grylle, Ked-footed Guillemot, MacGil- 

 livray, Brit. Birds, v. 



GENUS CXLI. MERGULUS. ROTCHE. 



Bill very short, stout, a little decurved, as broad as high 

 at the base, moderately compressed toward the end ; upper 

 mandible with the nasal sinus basal, broad, and angular, 

 the dorsal line convex and decimate, the ridge convex, the 

 sides convex at the base, sloping toward the end, the edges 

 sharp and overlapping, arcuate, with slight sinuses close to 

 the narrow, bluntish tip ; lower mandible with the angle 

 long, wide, and feathered, the dorsal line ascending, nearly 

 straight, the sides sloping a little outwards, the edges sharp, 

 the tip obtuse. Mouth of moderate width ; anterior palate 

 flat, with numerous horny reversed papilla ; tongue large, 

 fleshy, rather obtuse ; oesophagus of moderate width, pro- 

 ventriculus broader ; stomach oblong, muscular, with dense, 

 rugous epithelium ; intestine short and narrow ; coeca small. 

 Eyes small. Nostrils basal, oblong, with a horny opercu- 

 lum. Head oblong, anteriorly compressed ; neck short and 

 thick ; body full. Legs very short, rather slender, placed 

 far behind; tarsus compressed, with oblique anterior scu- 

 tella ; no hind toe ; anterior toes webbed, the inner much 

 shorter than the outer ; claws moderate, arcuate, compress- 

 ed, acute. Plumage dense, blended ; feathers oblong ; wings 

 small, narrow, convex, pointed ; primary quills tapering, 

 the first longest ; tail very short, slightly rounded, of twelve 

 feathers. 



Only one species is known. It is intermediate between 

 Uria and Alca, and has by various authors been referred to 

 one or other of these genera. 



