BIRDS — ALCIDAE — PHALBEIS PUSILLA. 



909 



This handsome little species is easily recognized by its short elevated caruncle at the base of 

 the bill and its small size, though larger than the succeeding. The figure of Mr. Audubon 

 cited above is very accurate, and represents the adult bird, though the young diflfers in no 

 material character. In all the specimens the under parts are spotted as described above, except 

 the throat, which is pure white. It appears to be abundant on the coasts of northwestern 

 America and northeastern Asia. 



It is possible that the pigmy auk of Pennant, which is Aha pygmaea, G-melin, may be the 

 young of this species, but it is more probable, judging from the descriptions of Latham and 

 Gmelin, that several small species have been confounded under this name. Latham describes 

 his bird as having the bill : "the top is ridged, but on the sides of the ridge is considerably 

 depressed, as in the duck," which is a character of no species which has come under our notice. 



PHALEEIS PUSILLA, Pallas. 



The Least Auk. 



Una pusilltt, Pallas, Zoog. Ro3S.-Asiat, II, 1811, 373. 

 FiGnRES. — Pallas, Zoog. Ross.-Asiat. II, pi. 90. 



Sp. Ch. — Smaller than either of the preceding. Head rather large ; bill short, slightly curved upwards towards the tip, 

 without appendages ; a longitudinal groove in the under mandible ; wing moderate, second quill slightly longest ; tail short, 

 truncate or even at the end ; legs and feet rather large. Entire upper parts black, lustrous on the head above and back. 

 Scapular feathers ashy white, giving the appearance of two white spots on the upper view of the bird ; secondary quills tipped 

 with white ; a spot of white over the eye ; a few hair-like feathers in front white, and a few of the same kind behind the eye. 

 Entire under parts white, with some narrow transverse lines of dark ashy on the sides. Bill black ; edges of both mandibles at 

 base, and tip of under mandible yellow ; legs dark. Narrow space on the throat at the base of the under mandible and cheeks 

 dark brownish cinereous. 



Total length about S| inches ; wing, 3^ ; tail, 1 inch. 



Hab. — Northwestern coast of America? Semiavine Straits, (Nat.. Mus. from Capt. Rodger's North Pacific Exploring 

 Expedition.) Kamtschatka, (Pallas.) 



This interesting little species is the bird described by Pallas as above, and is altogether 

 distinct from the preceding. It is probably the very smallest of the sea birds, and is easily 

 distinguished by the clear black of its upper plumage and pure white of the under parts, with 

 the additional prominent character of having white scapulars. 



The only specimens that we have ever seen of this bird are in the National Museum, and are 

 part of the very extensive zoological collection made by the North Pacific Exploring and 

 Surveying Expedition in command of Capt. John Rodgers, United States navy. 



List of specimens. 



