The Zoologist — November, 1870. 2371 



most obvious, upon casual inspection, by which the species differs 

 from Grylle. A still stronger diagnostic character lies in the absence 

 of white on the under surface of the wings. 



Uria Grylle (Linn.), Briinn. — Habitat: European and American 

 coasts and islands of tlie North Atlantic ; very abundant. Arctic 

 Ocean. Spitzbergen, Iceland, Greenland. On the American coast, 

 in winter, south to New Jersey coast. Rare or accidental in the north 

 Pacific, where replaced by Columba and Carbo. — ? Kamtschatka (Mus. 

 Pays-Bas, fide Schlegel.*) Herald Island, Arctic Ocean (Cassin, Pr. 

 A. N. S., Ph., 1862, p. 823) ; Spec, in Mus. Acad. Philad., Smiths. Inst., 

 Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist.; Essex Inst.; Cab. G. N. Lawrence; author's 

 Cab. 



Adult, summer plumage. — Bill and claws black. Mouth, legs and 

 feet brilliant vermilion-red, tinged with carmine. Entire plumage 

 plumbeous or fuliginous black, with a tint of invisible green. Wings 

 and tail pure black, the former with a large oval space on the upper 

 coverts, all the under coverts and the subscapulars pure white. 



This perfect breeding plumage is temporary, and lasts but a short 

 time. Very many individuals do not assume it until June, and it is 

 usually retained only during this and the succeeding month. Most 

 specimens collected in May are found to still have some traces of the 

 winter plumage, below described. 



Adult, during autumnal change. The first indication of the moult 

 is seen in the wings and tail, and is to be observed in nearly all 

 specimens taken after July. By the latter part of this month, after 

 incubation and nursing are finished, the wing and tail feathers become 

 much worn, and faded, turning to a light brownish gray towards their 

 tips. The white mirror shows scattered traces of dull brown. The 

 body colour loses its hue of green, and becomes more fuliginous 

 brown. Isolated white feathers are scattered over the whole body ; 

 or the dark feathers acquire white lips. With the falling of the quill- 

 feathers, which may take place very rapidly, and deny for a season all 

 power of flight, the bird is in the following condition, which is the 

 pure moulting state, exactly intermediate between the summer and 

 winter plumages: No. 18254, Mus. Smiths., Labrador, Aug. 14, 1860. 

 E. Coues. Wing-feathers renewed, pure black, but not fully grown ; 



* Although this author does not recognize the specific validity of U. columba, and 

 would therefore range specimens of the latter under grille in his catalogue, a specimen 

 (No. 6) there enumerated appears to be this species, as is inferrible from the expression 

 " Au miroir d'un blanc pur." 



