ALCID.E — THE AUKS — CERORIIYNCIIA. 



519 



of this species at San Diego, on the shore, after a severe storm, in January, both 

 being dead. Tliese birds are usually to be met -with a long distance otf the shore, 

 but within sight of land, often rising almost from under the paddle-wheels of the 

 steamers. In May, \S^^'^, ho found them very nunu'rous on Santa Barbara Island, 

 where they had undermined ahnost every part of the soft earthy surface with their 

 burrows. These an; about four feet long, horizontal, and run at about the depth of 

 a foot beneath the surface, though often so near it as to be broken in by the weight 

 of a man stepping on them. Un examining about a dozen burrows ho found in most 

 of them young in every stage of growth, showing that they nnist have begun about 

 the tirst of Afay to deposit their eggs. Where hatching had not taken jjlace there 

 was one egg in each burrow, on which either the male or the female was sitting. 

 Tliese are pure white, and measure 1.70 inches in length by 1.25 in breadth, the ends 

 being very nearly of equal size. 



These birds are also fimnd in the Faralloncs, where, however, they are not very 

 abundant, the rocky soil being unsuited for their burrows, so that their nests can 

 only be made in accidental cavities, l^Ir. Gruber, however, obtained an egg there in 

 18()2, and dead birds are not infrequently to be found, many dying from accidents or 

 from blows iuHicted by other and stronger birds. An egg from the Faralloncs meas- 

 ured 1.78 by 1..'50 inches, and was of an unusually oval form. During the day most of 

 the birds go off far from the islands, and are seen swimming about, occasionally diving 

 for fish, etc., or perhaps asleep the greater part of the time, their most active period 

 being the earlier part of ihe night. At that time they fly to their burrows ; and 

 though so very short-winged, when fairly started go like bullets, often killing them- 

 H(dves by flying against the ground ; and if there is a cami)-flre on the i.sland, many 

 fly directly into it, l)eing dazzled and perplexed by its light. The male birds, alight- 

 ing near their burrows, make the night melodious with their cries, being really musical 

 for a sea-bird, and remiudiug one of the Whip-poor-will. As nearly as this cry can 

 be expressed in WM'ds, it is irJiit-checr, ir/iit-rhecr, etc., repeated about five times, faint 

 at first, gradually dying, aiul then falling with a peculiar ringing sound. To some 

 ears the cry sounds like too-near ; and this name has been given to the bird by the 

 sealers. 



Dr. Coi)i)er found the birds of this species most abundant during the day about 

 San Nicolas Island, where the shoal waters furnish them with excellent feeding, and 

 whence they probably fly every niglit to Santa Barbara Island — a distance of about 

 thirty miles. Three eggs in the collection of the Smithsonian Institution range from 

 1.80 to 1.0r> inches in length, and from 1.2o to l.oO in breadth. They are of oblong- 

 oval shape, and of a pure chalky white color. 



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Genus CERORHYNCHA, Boxapakte. 



Crrnrhinca, IIonai-. Ann. I,yi\ N. Y. IS'28, 427 (type, V. occidmttiUx, Hi'., = Aha monoccratn, I'ai.i.. ). 



C'l-iitorhiini-hita, SfNnKV. Oiii. Syst. 18:W, 130. 



Ccriiloi-hinchit, HoNAr. ("onii). List, 1838, fitl. ~ C'dUKs, Pr. riiiliiil. Ai-. 18fl8, 28. 



Cerorhina, IIiiandt, Hull. Sc. St, Pctoisl). II. 1837, 348. — Cass, in Daird's B. N. Am. 1868, 904. 



Cemtorrhina, Bonap. Oss. Itofr. An. 1830, 134 ; .Sa{,'gio, 1831, 62. 



rmilorhiiKi, All). Oni. Bio;,'. V. 183!>, 104. 



Chimeritut; Escusciioi.TZ, Zoul. Atl. 1829, 2 (tyin', C. mniula, Ksciis., = Alca monncerafa, Pam..). 



C'nAU. rulincn rogiilurly iuitl (Iccidi'illy convex ; ^nnys slniii^lit, or slightly concave, with nii 

 accessory corneous pierce iit the liuse, interposed ]on;,'iluilinaIIy lietween the rami of the niumlililu 

 from their synipliesis hack to tlie feathers of tlie chin ; this deciduous, however, and, like the 



