2290 The Zoologist — September, 1870. 



much stouter, and shorter for its depth ; much compressed throughout, 

 depth at base about half the length of culmen; culmen and gonys 

 moderately curved; gonys straight, ascending; nasal fossae small and 

 shallow ; nostrils subbasal, broadly oval or nearly circular, as in 

 Mergulus, feathered ; feathers extending to about the same distance 

 on culmen and keel; on both mandibles retreating rapidly backwards 

 from the point of their furthest extension ; those on the upper passing 

 just by the nostrils, but not covering the latter. Wings of usual size 

 and shape in this group ; secondaries very short, as in Brachy- 

 rharaphus, the tip of the longest not reaching much more than half- 

 way from the carpal joint to the end of the first primary in the closed 

 wing. Tail of usual length, short, broad, nearly square, or very 

 slightly rounded, the feathers very broadly rounded at lip. Tarsi 

 much compressed, anteriorly and laterally transversely scutellate, 

 posteriorly reticulate ; about as long as the middle toe without its 

 claw. Outer toe as long as or rather longer than the middle ; its claw 

 smaller than that of the middle ; tip of inner claw reaching base of 

 middle. Claws small, short, compressed, moderately curved and 

 acute, the inner edge of the middle one somewhat dilated. 



With the general appearance of Brachyrhamphus, this genus differs 

 from the latter in the bill and feet. The bill is deeper at the base, and 

 more compressed throughout; the feet are still more different, having 

 very broad transverse scutellation on the anterior face of the tarsus, 

 instead of polygonal reticulation, and are larger, both relatively and 

 absolutely, witli longer, much more compressed tarsi, than in Brachy- 

 rhamphus. The type of the genus is the old Alca antiqua. Gin. A 

 second species occurs, which differs from the type, as far as form is 

 concerned, in a slenderer bill, and in the presence of a conspicuous 

 crest. 



Species (2). 



Not crested; bill stout, depth at base more than half the length of 

 culmen ; white on sides of vertex not extending in advance of 

 the eyes. -..-.-. auliquus. 



Crested; bill slender, depth at base about equal to half the length 

 of culmen; while on sides of vertex extending along sides of 

 forehead nearly to the bill. . - - - . wurmizmume. 



Synlhliborhamphus antiquus (Gmel.) Brandt. — Habitat: American 

 and Asiatic Coasts of the North Pacific. Kamtschatka, Japan Seas. 

 Sitka, Russian America (Mus. Smiths. Inst.) Mus. Acad. Philad. 



With the form, etc., typical of the genus, as above described. 



