514 THE DIVING BIRDS — PYGOPODES. 



2)ortion becomes luucli smaller than in tlie breeding-season) are shed, givinf 

 different appearance. In this stage the bird is the Alca tetracula of Pallas 

 maturity it is the Uria duhia of the same author. 



The Crested Auk is eminently oceanic, and, like several other 

 group, peculiar to the Northern Pacific Ocean and Behring's Sea 

 to the Asiatic and the American coasts ; rarely resorts to land, i 

 for the purposes of breeding, which takes place from May to Au^ 



Examples of this species were taken at Simoda and in the 1 

 by the naturalists of Captain Perry's Expedition ; and Mr. H. Wl 

 mentions having captured two others in a voyage between Yokoh 

 It was blowing a gale off the land at the time, and several ot 

 Specimens of this bird were also procured at Kadiak by Mr. Bisc 



Mr. Dall, in his Notes on the Avifauna of the Aleutian Isl; 

 Unalashka, speaks of the Crested Auk as having been found abu 

 flocks outside of Captain's Bay, Unalashka ; but says that it wi 

 the Bay except during very severe storms. It was resident thei 

 Shuinagins. In his Notes on the Birds found west of Unalash 

 species as being abundant off the shore in large flocks, which, c 

 a resident species ; but from Kyska eastward it is rarely seen 

 Several specimens were shot at Plover Bay, Eastern Siberia, 

 Smith. 



It is called the Canooskie by the natives of the Prybilof Isl 

 found by Mr. Elliott, who speaks of it as a fantastic-looking b 

 reason of its curling crest and bright crimson bill. It breeds the 

 the Ciceronia jJusilla, but is present in small numbers as compr 

 there being only a few thousand pairs at St. Paul's, and rela 

 George's. 



It makes its appearance early in May, and repairs to chinks an 

 cliffs, or deep down under large bowlders and rough basaltic shin<; 

 no nest whatever, depositing the egg upon the bare earth or ro 

 these birds succeed in secreting it, that, although he was constant 

 where several thousand pairs were laying, he was unable successf 

 rocks under which they hide, or get more than four eggs ; whi 

 result of over a hundred attempts. The note of this bird whil 

 clanging, honk -like sound ; at all other seasons it is silent. I 

 and the parents take turns in the labor of incubation and in i 

 The egg is rough, pure white, but with frequent discolorations, an 

 the size and weight of the parents, very large ; it is of an eh 

 shape, the smaller end being quite pointed. Length, 2.10 inches 



