The Zoologist— Februarv, 1870, 2015 



Comprising a single species, upon the varying plumages of which 

 numerous nominal species were established by the earUer authors. 

 The employ of the present name for the genus, instead of Alca of 

 Linnaeus, 1758, is perhaps defensible upon the grounds alluded to; 

 although the reason for the non-acceptance by authors of Torda of 

 Dumeril as a generic designation is not apparent. It would be easy 

 to find, among the synonyms of the species, a trivial name to replace 

 Torda, should it become necessary to use this as a patronym. 



Utamania torda (L.) Leach.— Habitat ;— European and American 

 coasts of the Atlantic, from the higher latitudes in summer, to the 40°, 

 or thereabouts, in winter. Very abundant. Specimens in all the 

 American museums, and most private collections. Breeds in great 

 numbers on the islands in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and on the coasts 

 of Labrador and Newfoundland ; in winter strays south to New Jersey. 

 Arctic seas of both hemispheres. Rare, or accidental in the North 

 Pacific. Japan ! (Schlegel, Mus. Pays-Bas.) 



Adult, in summer. — Iris bluish. Mouth chrome-yellow. Bill, feet 

 and claws black ; the former with a conspicuous curved vertical white 

 line occupying the middle sulcus of both mandibles, continuous from 

 one to the oilier. A straight, narrow, very conspicuous white line from 

 eye to base of culmen, composed of a series of very short stiff setaceous 

 feathers, sunk below the middle of the others. Secondaries narrowly 

 but distinctly tipped with white. Head and neck all around, and 

 entire upper parts black; this on the sides of the head, chin and 

 throat lustreless, velvety, tinged with fuliginous or brownish ; on the 

 upper parts glossy and more intense in colour. Inner webs of 

 primaries light brownish gray at base. Entire under parts from the 

 throat, including under surfaces of wings, white. 



Adult, in winter :— Upper parts lighter, duller, more brownish black ; 

 the white of the under parts extending to the bill, and on the sides of 

 the head and neck, sometimes quite to the nape. 



Young, first winter: — Similar to the preceding; smaller, the bill 

 weaker, shorter, less elevated, less decurved at the tip, the culmen, 

 rictus and gonys straighter, the sides of both mandibles smooth, 

 except in the presence of one sulcus ; bill brownish black, the sulcus 

 white. Legs and feet reddish or brownish black. 



Fledgelings: — Bill very small and slender; body clothed with 

 smoky brown or black down, lighter, or lending more or less to 

 grayish white below. 



The white stripe from the eyes to the bill is very variable, though 



