870 SIMORHYNCHUS 



Hob. North Pacific from Kamchatka to the Commander and 

 Kurile Islands, and Japan ; Alaska. 



In habits not differing from its allies. It breeds in deep 

 crevices in and under the rocks, depositing in June chalky white 

 eggs, which vary in size from 2 '06 by T50 to 2*31 by 1*61. 



1202. WHISKERED AUK. 

 SIMORHYNCHUS PYGlVLflBUS. 



Simorhy nchus pygtnceus (Gmel.), Syst. Nat. i. p. 555 (1788); (Seebohm), 

 B. Jap. Emp. p. 286 ; Ogilvie Grant, Cat. B. Br. Mus. xxvi. p. 603 ; 

 Kidgway, p. 13 ; (Tacz.), F. 0. Sib. 0. p. 1235. 



ad. (Kuriles). Upper parts, wings, and tail black ; rump and upper 

 tail-coverts dark slate ; lower abdomen white, the rest of the under parts 

 sooty greyish black, becoming black on the upper throat and chin ; a 

 patch in front of the eye, and long stripes of elongated feathers from the 

 base of the gape and from behind the eye white ; a long recurved white 

 crest above the eye, and a long black one on the forehead ; beak vermilion, 

 the tip bluish ; legs and feet light bluish grey, the joints brownish violet ; 

 iris white. Culmen from feathers 1/4, wing 4'6, tail 1'3, tarsus 1*0 inch 

 Sexes alike. In winter the plumage scarcely differs. 



Hob. North Pacific from Kamchatka the Commander and 

 Kurile Islands to Northern Japan ; Alaska. 



In general habits it does not differ from its allies, and I do 

 not find any description of its nidification, but its egg is pure 

 white, rather dull in grain, and measures 1*78 by 1/26. 



1203. LEAST AUK. 

 SIMORHYNCHUS PUSILLUS. 



Simorhynchus pusillus (Pall.), Zoogr. Ross. As. ii. p. 373, pi. xc. (1811) ; 

 (Elliot), B. N. Am. ii. pi. Ixviii. ; (Tacz.), F. 0. Sib. 0. p. 1229 ; 

 Ogilvie Grant, Cat. B. Br. Mus. xxvi. p. 605 ; Eidgway, p. 13 ; 

 (Seebohm), B. Jap. Emp. p. 287 ; Phaleris microceros, Brandt, Bull. 

 Acad. St. Petersb. ii. p. 347 (1837). 



< ad. (St. Paul's, Alaska). Upper parts, wings, tail, chin, and a 

 narrow band crossing the neck black ; rest of under parts white, the flanks 

 marked with blackish ; forehead finely striped with pointed white feathers, 

 and two or three white lines behind the eye ; bill dark reddish on the 

 terminal half, basal half and tubercle dusky ; legs and feet light whitish 

 cobalt-blue, the joints darker ; webs blackish ; iris white. Culmen 0'55, 

 wing 3*9, tail T9, tarsus 0'8 inch. Sexes alike. In winter the tubercle at 

 the base of the bill is absent, and the chin and upper throat are dark 

 smoke-grey. 



