464 



THE DIVING BIRDS — PYGOPODES. 



Hab. Coasts and islands of the North Atlantic, south in America to New Jersey in winter ; 

 breeds far northward. 



Sp. Char. Adult, in summer: Head, neck, and jugulum uniform fuliginous-brown, growing 

 gradually darker on the pileuni and nape ; remaining upi)er i)arts fuliginous-ldack, the secondaries 

 tipped witli white, and posterior scapulars edged with the same. Lower parts, from the jugulum 

 back, immaculate white, the upper flaidc-feathers striped with dusky. Bill black ; iris dark 

 brown ; "feet pale flesh-colored, webs dusky, claws black ; inside of mouth light yellow" (Audu- 

 bon). Winter plumage : Chin, throat, jugulum, malar region, and sides of the upper part of the 

 nape white, the latter mottled with grayish, and the jugular feathers with dusky bases ; other- 



Ms;.-^ 



Winter plumage. 



wise like the summer plumage. " Young, first tvinter : Recognizable by its smaller and weaker 

 bill, by the duller and more brownish black of the upper parts, almost wanting in gloss, and by 

 the greater extension of the white upon the sides of the hind head and neck. The scapulars and 

 coverts are conspicuously marked with white, as in the adult. The feet are mostly dusky " (Coues). 

 Downy young : Uniform dark grayish fuliginous, somewhat paler beneath ; bill black ; legs and 

 feet brownish (in dried skins). 



Total length, about 8.50 inches ; wing, 4.50-4.75 ; culnien, .50 ; tarsus, .80 ; middle toe, with 

 claw, 1.20. 



The Little Auk is the most decidedly oceanic, and also one of the most Arctic, of 

 the family of Alcidce. It lives and spends most of its time on the open sea, and very 

 rarely resorts to the land — never doing so voluntarily, except during the breeding- 

 season. It breeds exclusively in high northern regions — chiefly on islands — and 

 always in places near the ocean. 



It is found in the Arctic regions of America and Europe, and the islands in the 

 Arctic Ocean, and in the northwestern portions of Asia, on the islands of Nova Zem- 

 bla and Spitzbergen. In the last-named place Messrs. Evans and Sturge met with 

 these birds in immense flocks. In one locality a great number of them were seen by 

 these naturalists flying in and out of the cliffs ; and one of the party w^as let down 

 into close proximity with the nests by means, of a wire rope. But it was found tliat 

 this bird builds in such deep and narrow crevices that it was only after much hard 

 labor, and by breaking the rock with a liammer, that the hand could be inserted so that 

 the nests could be reached ; and even then only three eggs were procured. Pro- 

 fessor Newton also found this species numerous almost beyond belief on the greater 



