406 Aves. 
white beneath, with a white’ line on the wing as in the Guille- 
mot. Its bill is black, and feet red. Inhabits all the northern 
coasts, and builds under ground. It is sometimes seen on the 
French coast in winters ‘_ yt ke. 
4 7 at 
F 
ALCA, Lin. <—" : 
: ee iv *, B i 39 r 
The Auks are known by the very much compressed, vertically 
raised bill which has a trenchant back, cand is usually grooved — 
transversely; and by the feet which are cpopletaippinated, and 
have no thumb like those of the Guillemot. All these birds inhabit 
4 4 
the northern seas. We may divide the genus into two subgenera. 
‘ 7 e t 
Frarercura, Briss.—Morwon, Illig. | . a 6 
Or the Puffins, whose bill, shorter than the heady 1 is as high, and 
higher at base than it is long, which gives it a very extrao dinary 
form; a folded skin usually covers its base. The nostrils pl ced near 
for a moment; they live upon the ocean and breed on the rocks 
£ 
the edge are mere slits. Their small wings cangjust sustain ae 
The most common species, -Z/ca arctica, L. and labradoria, 
Gm.; Mormon fratercula, Tem. Enl. 275; Brit. Zoo pl. H; 
Edw. 358, 1; Frisch, 192; Naum. 65, f. 101, is the size of a Pr 
geon, and has a black calotte and mantle; white beneath. It 
sometimes breeds among the cliffs on the English coast, and is 
very common on those of France during the winter.(1) e 
M. Temminck distinguishes, under the name of Stariques (Pua- 
LERIS) those species which have a less elevated bill.(2) - 
” 6 
Auca, Cuv.(3) Ww 
“A 
The true Auks have a more elongated bill, resembling in form 
the blade of a knife; it is covered with feathers as far as the nos- 
trils. Their wings are decidedly too small to support them, and 
therefore they never attempt to fly. 
Alca torda and pica, Gm.; Pingouin commun, Enl. 1004, the 
adult 1003, in summer plumage, Edw. 358, 2, Briss. VI, VIII, 
2, Brit. Zool. pl. H, 1. (The Common Auk.) Black above, white 
(1) Add .2. cirrhata, Pall. Spic., V, pl. 1; Vieill. Gal. 299. 
(2) Alca cristatella, Vieill. Gal. 297, or Starique cristatelle, T. Col. 200, and Pall., 
Spic. Zool., V, pl. 1, of which 2. pygmza is the young;—.2. psittacula, Pall. Spic., 
V, pl. 2, of which 2. tetracula, Ib. pl. 4, isthe young. 
(3) Alea, Aik, Auk, the name of these birds in the Feroe Islands, and in the north 
of Scotland. That of Penguin, first given to the Aptenodytes of the south by the 
Dutch, indicates the oily nature of their fat. See Clusius, Exot., 101. It was # 
Buffon who transferred this name exclusively to the northern Auks. 
