NEWTON ON BIRDS IN GREENLAND. 109 



great. A series of specimens which would help to clear up this 

 matter is something to be desired. 



44. Uria grylle. Black Guillemot or Greenland Dove. *' Ser- 



bak," "Sergvak"; (in summer) "Kernekungojuk," "Ker- 

 nektarsuk " ; (in winter) " Kakortungojuk." 

 Very numerous on both coasts of Greenland, and said to remain 

 longer than any other bird. Plentiful also on Melville Peninsula 

 but more rarely seen in the Polar Sea. The distribution of the 

 various species of Black Guillemot (which it may be observed 

 is, except in the breeding plumage, anything but " black ") is 

 matter deserving of the fullest attention. The ordinary form 

 from Spitsbergen is of slender build, and has the wing-spot in the 

 adult purely and entirely white. That of the Norwegian and 

 British coasts ( U. grylle, vera) is stouter, and has the white 

 feathers of the wing-spot with black at the base, but this colour 

 does not shew outwardly. That of the North Pacific {U. co- 

 lumbd) has a distinct black bar across the wing-spot, while 

 another form (fZ carbo) is altogether black. Now a specimen 

 not to be distinguished from the typical U. columha was obtained 

 in the Spitsbergen seas by Dr. von Heuglin, and Holboll says he 

 has seen in Greenland an entirely black example, which, therefore, 

 may perhaps be regarded as U. carbo. Whether these were excep- 

 tional varieties of the normal form, or examples which had acciden- 

 tally wandered from their proper habitats is a question which can- 

 not be decided — but in the latter case the question has an important 

 geographical aspect, as tending to show the occasional means of 

 water communication between opposite parts of the circumpolar 

 region. 



45. Mergulus alle. Rotge or Little Auk. " Akpalliarsuk,'* 



*' Kaerrak." 

 Said not to breed further soutli than lat. 68° N., but, though 

 its great stations are in the northern parts of Baffin's Sea, not to be 

 common in the Polar Sea. Found also in East Greenland. 



46. Alca troile. Willock or Common Guillenot. 



Two examples sent by Holboll from Godthaab, where, and 

 perhaps in other places on the coast, it breeds, but still, to all 

 appearance, very rarely. Its variety, A. lacrymans, seems to be 

 still more rare in Greenland. 



47. Alca arra. Bruennich's Guillemot. " Akpa.'* 

 Doubtless the commonest bird on the Greenland coasts, but 



said not to breed south of lat. 64° N. Occurred on Parry's 

 Second Voyage. Holboll met with three specimens entirely black, 

 two near Godthaab and one at the Sukkertop, but all in winter ! 

 Some recent writers have most unreasonably questioned or even 

 denied the specific distinction of this and the foregoing. 



48. Alca torda. Razor-bill. " Akparnak," " Akpartluk." 

 Not rare either in the Northern or Southern Inspectorate, but 



not hitherto observed on the E.'iist Coast. 



