570 OENITHOLOGY 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 m^GYlA. — Brunnich. 



The Murre. 



Uria ringvia, Briinnich. Om. 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 ; fi-om 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 diiferent in length in specimens. 



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

 tail, two inches. 



jjah. — 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, Rat. 



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 rathei 

 ghoi't. 



MERGULUS ALLE. — Linnceiis. 



The Little Auk ; the Sea Dove ; Dovekie. 



Aha alle, Linnaeus. Syst. Nat, L (1766) 211. 

 Uria alle, Audubon. Om. 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 wh te ; 



