NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 11 



northward, tlie Horned-billed Auk is said to breed in abundance. Eggs 

 of this species have been collected on the Farallones, and the bird was 

 thought to breed on the islands farther south. It is nocturnal in its 

 habits, remainiug throughout the daytime in crevices among the rocks 

 and burrows in the ground, where it deposits its single egg. This is 

 similar to the egg of the Horned Pufl&n — dull, chalky white, with dis- 

 colorations and faint shell markings of obscure purplish-gray. Sizes 

 range from 2.65 to 2.90 long by 1.80 to 1.90 broad. 



16. Ptycliorainplius aleuticus (Pall.) [751.] 



Cassin's Aivklet. 



Hab. Pacific coast of North America, from the Aleutian Islands to, San Diego, breeding southward to 

 the Farallones. 



Mr. Emerson found this species abundant on the Farallones. It 

 is nocturnal in its habits, flying and roving about during foggy, stormy 

 or moonlight nights, but never at dusk. After dusk, however, they 

 come out of their holes in the rocks all over the island, and can be 

 heard calling to one another their peculiar notes, chee-rie-kee^ chee-rie- 

 kee. This Auk does not burrow in the ground like the Puffins or other 

 species that inhabit the Farallones. Any convenient crevice or hole in 

 a pile of rocks which aflFords a hiding-place suits this species for the 

 purpose of depositing its single egg. 



Mr. Bryant, in his paper " Birds and Eggs from the Farallon Isl- 

 ands," says that this Auk arrives early in the year, coming in great 

 numbers in the night of January 14, 1887. 



Two and three young are supposed to be reared in a season. 

 Young birds in the down have been taken in September. 



Considering the size of this species, it lays a very large egg. The 

 bird measures eight to nine and a half inches in length, or about the 

 size of a full-grown Woodcock, while its egg averages 2.25 x 1.47. At 

 first appearance the egg seems to be white, but upon holding it to the 

 light it is a delicate shade of emerald green. The shell is finely gran- 

 ulated, and the general shape of the egg is ovate, some more pointed 

 than others. Two extreme examples measure as follows: 1.97x1.42, 

 , 1.65 X 1.22. 



17. Cyclorrhynchus psittaculus. (Pall.) [747-1 



Paroqnet Anklet. 



' Hab. Coasts and islands of the North Pacific, from the Aleutian and Kurile Islands northward, 



A bird of the open sea, only visiting land for the purpose of 

 breeding; known also by the name of Pug-nosed Auk. It is dis- 

 tributed irregularly throughout the Northern Pacific Ocean and 

 Bering Sea, being quite common on the Prybilof and Aleutian 



