162 



PETRELS— TERA— AUK— GEESE—EIDERS— J ^IGER- GUILLEMOTS. 



The Sooty Sheerwater is a common species of the North Atlan- 

 tic, thence south to the Carolinas. 



Manks Sheerwater is a common and distinctly marked species 

 of the North Atlantic coast. 



The Black-vented Sheerwater is a Cape St. Lucas species. 



The Dark-bodied Sheerwater is also a Cape St. Lucas species. 



The Slender-billed Sheerwater is a species of the North Pacific 

 coast. 



Pintato Petrel, or Cape Pigeon. (Daption capensis) 

 Fig. 7. 



This species is accidental to the coast of California. Gould says , 

 this Martin among the Petrels swims lightly ; but it rarely exer- 

 cises natatorial power, except to procure food, in pursuit of which 

 it occasionally dives for a moment or two. Nothing can be more 

 graceful than its motions when on the wing, with the neck short- 

 ened and the legs entirely hidden among the feathers of the under 

 tail covers. Like the other Petrels it ejects, when irritated, an 

 oily fluid from the mouth. Its feeble note of <cac, cac, cac, cacj is 

 frequently uttered; the third, according to Captain Hutton, being 

 pronounced the quickest. 



Wilson's Petrel. (Oceanites oceanica.) 

 Fig. 8. 



Wilson's Petrel is a common Atlantic Coast species. Its habits 

 are similar to the Petrels represented on Plate CVI. 



Aleutian Tern. {Sterna aleutia.) 

 Fig. 9. 



This is a rare species ; at present only four are known. They 

 were taken off the Aleutian Islands. 



Black-capped Petrel. {^Sstrelata hasitata.) 



Fig. Vj. 



This bird has habits similar to the Petrels represented on Plate 

 CVI. It is only occasionally met with on the Atlantic Coast. 



Knob-billed, or Least Auk, (Simorhynchus pusillus.) 

 Fig. 18. 



This well-marked little Auk is considered the smallest of our in- 

 teresting sea birds. It is easily recognized by the black plumage 

 on its upper parts and the pure white on the under parts, and by 

 having white scapulars. It is met with on the Northwestern coast 

 of North America. 



PLATE CVIII. 

 Painted Goose ; Emperor Goose. (Philacte canagica.) 



Fig. 1. 



A species that is quite common at the mouth of the Tukon, on 

 the Northwest coast of the United States. 



Blue Goose. (Anser c&rulescens.) 

 Fig. 2. 



This species for a long time has been supposed to be the young 

 of the common Snow Goose (Anser hy^erboreus). Whilst they 



do resemble it while young, it is now known to be a distinct species. 

 When in full plumage it very much resembles the Painted Goose 

 — figure 1 of this Plate. The Blue Goose is considered to be an 

 inhabitant of North America, with an apparently general distribu- 

 tion along our coast and rivers. 



Spectacled Eider. (Somateria Jischeri.) 

 Fig- 3- 



This well-marked Eider or Duck is a resident along the North- 

 west coast, and is claimed to be a common bird about St. Michaels. 

 Although the name of these Ducks is supposed to be derived from 

 the river Eider, they are in reality seldom found south of the 63d 

 degree of north latitude. They are strictly sea birds ; their walk 

 upon dry land is made with extreme difficulty ; often as they wad- 

 dle along they stumble and fall down flat on the ground. 



Parasitic, or Richardson's Jaeger. (Stercorarius parasiticus.) 



Fig. 4- 



The coasts and rocky reefs of the Arctic regions of both hemi- 

 spheres is the habitat of this bird, from which it often extends its 

 migrations, for weeks at a time, far out of sight of land. During 

 its flight, it frequently skims along like a Falcon, at one time giv- 

 ing a few rapid strokes with its wings, then sweeping onward to a 

 considerable distance, somewhat after the manner of a kite ; sud- 

 denly, however, it seems to shiver, or rapidly shake its wings, and 

 precipitates itself downward, describing a sort of arch, mounts up 

 again, and immediately adopts a course made up of an alternation 

 of larger and smaller arches joined beneath each other. Its cry re- 

 sembles that of a Peacock. 



King Eider, or Duck. (Somateria spactabilis.) 



Fig. 5- 



The King Eider, another of these valuable sea-birds, is met 

 along the coast of northern North America, south to the State of 

 New Jersey, and as far in the interior as Lake Erie. According 

 to Sir J. C. Ross, vast numbers of this beautiful duck resort 

 annually to the shores and islands of the arctic region, in the 

 breeding season, and have, on many occasions, afforded a val- 

 uable and salutary supply of fresh provision to the crews of the 

 vessels employed on those seas. They do not retire far to the 

 south in the winter, but assemble in large flocks, the males by 

 themselves, and the females with their young brood, are often met 

 with in the Atlantic Ocean, far distant from any land, where the 

 numerous crustaceans and other marine animals afford them 

 abundance of food. 



Thick-billed, or Brunnich's Guillemot. (Lomvia arra.) 

 Fig. 6. 



Sooty Guillemot. (Uria carbo.) 

 Fig. 7- 



Pigeon Guillemot. {Uria columba.) 

 Fig. 8. 



Kittlitz's Guillemot, or Murrelet. (Brachyramphus kittlitxii.) 

 Fig. 9- 



Temminck'8 Guillemot. (Synthlibora-mphus ivurmizusume.) 

 Fig. to. 



