The Zoologist— October, 1870. 2331 



extend so far, and merges insensibly into the dark colour; on the 

 nape a delicate line of white feathers almost forms a collar. The 

 under wing-coverts are as in the adult. Bill blackish. Legs and feet 

 anteriorly more dusky than in the adult. 



Another specimen in the Smithsonian Museum, taken in January, 

 marked female, and evidently hatched the preceding summer, has the 

 size of the adult, and the colours generally as in the young bird just 

 described. But the upper parts are much lighter and more decidedly 

 cinereous, as in the adult ; the scapular white well developed ; the 

 dusky waving of the under parts confined to the sides and throat. 

 The under wing-coverts are dusky along the edge of the wing, but 

 are elsewhere variegated with dull whitish ; only to a small degree, 

 however, not approaching the condition seen in hypoleucus. 



In mature plumage this is a very handsome bird, and recognizable 

 at a glance by the pure white of the under parts, and blackish 

 cinereous of the upper, relieved by the conspicuous white of the 

 scapulars and sides of the rump. It belongs to the short-legged 

 division of the genus, being very different from hypoleucus and 

 Craveri in the proportions of the tarsus and toes. It has the size 

 and form of marmoratus in every respect except a just fairly re- 

 cognizable difference in the shape of the bill. But it is quite a 

 different species from marmoratus— so different, in fact, that no 

 special comparison need be instituted. 



The recognition, in the bird here described, of Brachyrhamphus 

 Wrangeli of Brandt is a matter of unusual interest, identifying, as it 

 does, a species long ago described, but almost unknown to ornitho- 

 logists at large, and throwing light upon what has always been a very 

 obscure point in American Ornithology. The writer is mainly in- 

 debted to Prof. Baird's suggestions for the fortunate direction of his 

 investigation in this case. The present species has hitherto been 

 regarded and described by American writers as the adult of the well- 

 known marmoratus, whose curious colours, as described by all authors 

 from Pennant dovs'nwards, and as figured by Audubon under the name 

 of Uria Townsendii, have always been considered as indicative of 

 immaturity. But numerous specimens, in adult breeding plumage, 

 demonstrate the falsity of this view, as is satisfactorily set forth in the 

 preceding article. Beyond the possibility of a doubt, the present 

 species is not marmoratus, and it is certainly Wrangeli of Brandt. 



Brachyrhamphus hypoleucus, Xantus. — Habitat : coast of Cali- 

 fornia. Specimens in the Museum of the Smithsonian Institute and 



