218 ALCINJE. MORMON. 



the sides ; upper mandible with a strong dotted rim along 

 its basal margin, the dorsal line decurved, the ridge narrow, 

 the sides rapidly sloping, the edges sharp, the tip deflected, 

 very narrow, obtuse ; lower mandible with the angle very 

 narrow, inflected beyond the perpendicular, the dorsal line 

 ascending, more or less convex, the sides perpendicular, the 

 edges thin, the tip small and blunt ; the gape-line extending 

 downwards a little beyond the base of the bill, and having a 

 soft corrugated extensile membrane at the commissure. 

 Nostrils linear, marginal. Eyes rather small, generally 

 with small horny plates in their vicinity. Apertures of ears 

 very small. Head large, roundish, ovate ; neck short and 

 thick ; body full and rounded. Feet short, moderately stout, 

 placed far behind ; tibia bare for a short space ; tarsus very 

 short, little compressed, anteriorly with small scutella ; hind 

 toe wanting, toes connected by entire webs, the outer and 

 inner about equal ; claws strong, arched, acute, that of the 

 inner toe much curved. Plumage dense, soft, blended ; 

 wings short, narrow, much curved, acute ; tail very short, 

 slightly rounded, of sixteen feathers. 



The Puffins, which belong to the arctic regions of both 

 continents, resemble the Auks in form and habits, with this 

 exception, that they generally burrow in the turf, and depo- 

 sit their eggs under ground. They swim and dive with the 

 greatest dexterity, feed upon small fishes, Crustacea, and 

 mollusca, are capable of walking somewhat better than the 

 Auks or Guillemots, and are especially remarkable for the 

 form of their bill,, which, viewed laterally, somewhat resem- 

 bles that of a parrot, although, being extremely compressed, 

 its form is very diiFerent. 



285. MORMON ARCTICUS. ARCTIC PUFFIN. 



Bill with three curved furrows on each mandible towards 

 the end ; the basal rim and first ridge of both mandibles dull 

 yellow, the intervening broad space greyish-blue, the rest 

 bright red ; a flattened triangular horny body on the upper 

 eyelid, and an elongated adherent plate on the lower ; throat 

 and sides of the head greyish-white ; upper part of the head 

 greyish-black ; middle of the neck all round, and all the upper 

 parts black, glossed with blue ; lower parts white, unless 

 under the wings, where the feathers are dusky-grey. 



Male, 11J, 23, 7, 2 ; 1, l, &. Female, 10J, 22. 



