18 



North American Birds Eggs. 



•^w 



29. Pigeon Guillemot. Cepplius ailumba. 



Range.— The Pacific Coast of North America, breeding from southern Califor- 

 nia northward. This 'bird is very similar to the Black Guillemot except that 

 the under surfaces of the wings are ,^^ 



dark. They breed abundantly on .^.'.'i^' "-«'.._ 



some of the islands of Bering Sea 

 and a few of them nest on the Faral- 

 lones. They lay their two eggs on 

 the bare rock in dark crevices. The 

 color is grayish or pale greenish 

 blue and the markings are brown 

 and black with paler shell mark- 

 ings of lilac. Size, 2.40 x 1.60. 

 Data.— S. Farallone Islands, Cal. 

 Two eggs laid on gravel at the end 

 of a burrow, about two feet from the 

 entrance and 285 feet above the sea 

 level. Collector, Claude Fyfe. 



30. Murre. Urid troile. 



(Pale bluish gray.] 



Range.— North Atlantic coasts and islands, breeding from Bird Rock north- 

 ward. Murres are similar in form to the Guillemots, but are larger, being 

 about 16 inches in length. Entire head and neck sooty brown; rest of upper 

 parts grayish black except the tips of the secondaries which are white. Under 

 parts white. These birds nest by thousands on Bird Rock and on the cliffs of 

 Labrador. They build no nests but simply lay their single egg on the narrow 

 ledges of cliffs, where the only guarantee against its rolling off is its peculiar 

 shape which causes it, when moved, to revolve about its smaller end instead of 

 rolling off the ledge. The eggs are laid as closely as possible on the ledges 

 where the incubating birds sit upright, in long rows like an army on guard. As 

 long as each bird succeeds in finding an egg to cover, on its return home, it is 

 doubtful if they either know or care whether it is their own or not. The ground 

 color of the eggs vary from white to a deep greenisf) blue and the markings of 

 blackish brown vary in endless patterns, some eggs being almost wholly un- 

 spotted. Size 3.40 x 2. Data. — South Labrador, June 19, 1884. Single egg 

 laid on the bare cliff. Large colony breeding. Collector, M. A. Frazar. 



rwhite, buff, or deep greenish blue.l 



