800 



SYSTJE3fA TIC SYNOPSIS. — PYGOP ODES. 



Neither mandible grooved. Covering of bill moulted in 2 jiieces. Inner lateral claw normal. 



Tarsus scutellato in front Ceratorhina 



Eyeliils simjile. Variously crested. Bill of indeterminate shape, various parts moulted in 1-7 liieces. 



No soft rosette. Inner claw normal. Tarsus reticulate Simorhijnc-hus 



Eyelids simple. Not crested? Bill acute; upper mandible striate; no moult of bill known. No 



rosette. Inner claw normal. Tarsus reticulate Ptifchorhamphus 



Aloin.k. Nostrils more or loss completely feathered. Bill of variable shape, as far as l\nown not 

 appendaged with deciduous elements. Head not crested (except one species). Seasonal changes of 

 plumage usually marked. 

 Bill elongate, more or less slender, without vertical grooves. 



Nostrils nearly circular, incompletely feathered. Bill short and stout for this group. Tarsus 



st:arcely compressed, scutellate in front Alle 



Nostrils broadly oval, incompletely feathered. Bill much compressed. Tail nearly even. Tarsus 



extremely compressed, scutellate in front and internally Si/ritldlhoi-Jiamphus 



Nostrils oval, feathered. Bill very small, slender, acute. Tarsus reticulate . .Urachyrhamphtts 



Nostrils narrow, feathered. Bill about equal to tarsus. Tarsus reticulate Uria 



Nostrils narrow, densely feathered. Bill longer than tarsus. Tarsus scutellate in front Lomvia 

 Bill elongate, stout, high, narrow, vertically grooved. Nostrils linear, densely feathered. 



Wings fully developed, fit for flight Utamania 



Wings reduced in size, unfit for flight Alca 



Obs. Many additional characters of these remarkable genera are given under their respective heads. 



339 

 340 

 341 



342 



343 

 344 

 345 

 346 



347 



348 



76. Subfamily PHALERIDIN/E : Parrot Auks, etc. 



Characters as above. This subfamily contains a number of curious birds of the Auk 

 family for which thoro is no single English name. With one exception (that of the Common 

 Puffin or Sea Parrot of the Atlantic) all are confined to North Pacific and Polar \yaters. 

 Without known exception (but cju. Ptychorhamphus f) all these birds have the bill appendaged 

 with deciduous elements, which is not the case with the Alcina proper ; but the subfamily is 

 not very sharply distinguished from Alcinm, such forms as Ptychorhamphus and Alle being 

 connecting links. The genera Fratercula and Lunda are together so different from the rest 

 that some autliors separate them as a family Mormonidce ; but this seems scarcely advisable. 

 337. FRATER'CULA. (Dimiu. of frater, a brother: what application?) Sea Pakeots. 

 Masking Puffixs: the grotesque bill being likened to the comic mask of revellers at a 



carnival, and be- 

 ing as it were put 

 on for the nuptial 

 festivities, and af- 

 tcrii'ard removed. 

 Bill about as long 

 as head, about as 

 high as long, 

 extremely com- 

 pressed, with 

 nearly vertical 

 sides, its lateral 

 profile somewhat 

 triangular, its 

 depth at base 

 Pig. B33. —Head of Sea Parrot (Jf. nrcf tea), nat. size. (Ad nat. del. E. C.) equal to that of 



the head ; culmen beginning on a level with the forehead, thence curving downward with regular 

 convexity to the overhanging tip, its ridge sharp and unbroken throughout ; commissure straight 

 and horizontal to the decarved tip; gonys sharp, ascending, gently sinuous. Terminal portions 

 of both mandibles hard, homy, and persistent, depressed with several oblique curved grooves, 

 convex forward. Basal portion of upper mandible forming a narrow obtuse-angled triangular 



