STREl'SILID.E — THE SURF BIRD — APHRIZA. 



127 



Hab. Tacific coast of Amerieo, from Alaska to Chili ; Suiulwicb Islands. 



Si'. Char. Bill about us long us tliu lii'utl, lutliur thick ut thu liasu, ami shallowest about one 

 lliiid uf tlu! distance from the end ; nostrils hw^v, situated in a vt-ry distinct longitudinal groove, 

 which occui)ies the middle two thirds of the bill ; wings long ; tail rather long, ennirginate ; legs 

 stout. Adult in summer: Head, neck, and dorsal region spotted and streaked with dusky and 

 whitish ; the latter jnedonunating on head, neck, and breast, where the darker markings are in the 

 form of irregular streaks, but on the breast Ijecoming irregular, broad, erescentic bai-s ; scajiulars 

 with large, irregular sjjots of rufous. Upper tail-coverts, basal half of tail, a broad band across 



ends of greater wing-coverts, edges of outer webs of secondaries, tips of primary-coverts (broadly) 

 buses, shafts, and tips (narrowly) of primaries, tip of tail, an<l lower parts from the breast, back 

 (including most of under-side of wing), pure white ; sides and crissum with angular spots of dusky. 

 " I'ill dusky toward the end, orange at the base; feet bluish green, claws black" (Audubon). 

 Winter ])lumarie : Head, neck, and lireast, and most of upper parts, plain dusky or brownish slate ; 

 white ureas as in the summer plumage. " Iris black ; eyeliils black ; legs olive-green ; claws 

 black" (Sharpe, p. Z. S. 1881, 15). Young: Much like the winter plumage, but with indistinct 

 wliite borders to feathers of the ujiper parts, and the breast, throat, etc., white, with dusky stnjaks, 

 instead of plain dusky. Differing from the summer plumage in the absence of rufous on upper 

 parts, and in the white maiyins to wing-coverts. 



AVing, iibout '.00 • culmeu, .95-l.iK) ; tarsus, 1.20; middle toe, .90. 



Very little is known in regard to the habits or the distribution of this species. It 

 is found on the Sandwich Islands and others of the Pacific Ocean, but is rare on our 

 western coast. A single specimen — a female — w^as obtained at Cape Disappoint- 

 ment, near the mouth of the Columbia, by Mv. Townsend. He states, in regard to 

 it, that it was sitting on the edge of the steep rocks, the heavy surf frequently dash- 

 ing its spray over it as it foraged among the retreating Avaves. It flew with a quick 

 jerking motion of its wings, and alighted again at a short distance. The stomach 

 was strong and muscular, and contained fragments of a small black sh U-fish which 

 is found adhering to the rocks in that neighborhood. 



Dr. Cooper regards this species as a rather rare visitor to our Pacific coast, though 

 he has seen birds which he supposed to be of this species at the mouth of the Columbia 

 and on Santa Barbara Island ; but they were so Avild, he could not get a shot at them. 

 Dr. Heermann obtained a specimen of this bird in the San Francisco market in the 

 winter of 1849, and thinks that lie met with others of this species the following 

 June on the Farallon Islands, where they were gathered in small flocks, engaged in 

 |)i(kiug up marine insects from the rock-bound shores, which were covered with kelp 

 and shell-fish. They did not ajjpear wild. Dr. Cooper did not notice any of them on 

 the Farallon Islands in June, 18G4, but did see some of the Strepsilas melanocephalus, 

 which resembles this species, and may have been mistaken for it by Dr. Heermann. 



