BIRDS OF THE OPEN SEA 5 



crustacean firmly in its beak, and the young tear bits 

 from it with snarling whines, somewhat as a puppy 

 enjoys a bone. 



The young bird dives or is shoved off from the rocks to 

 the water, both parents assisting at the rather startling 

 debut and, apparently, breaking the force of the fall 

 by flying under the little one. One would expect a bird 

 so uncouth and helpless in walking to be particularly 

 graceful on the water, but this is not the case with the 

 puffins, for they swim in such a horizontal position as 

 to seem even more ungraceful than on land. 



15. RHINOCEROS AUKLET. — Cerorhinca monocerata. 

 Family : The Auks, Murres, and Puffins. 



Length: 15.00. 



Adults : Upper pails uniform grayish black ; sides of head, neck, upper 

 neck, and sides dull gray ; lower breast and belly white, washed with 

 gray ; a row of narrow, pointed white 1 feathers along each side of 

 occiput ; another row from base of bill across cheek to ear. 



Nuptial Plumage: Base of upper mandible surmounted by a compressed 

 upright horn, the base of which clasps the mandible as a saddle, down 

 to and inclosing the nostrils. In winter this is replaced by leathery 

 skin. 



Doiony Young : Soft gray-brown. 



Geographical Distribution : Coast and islands of the North Pacific from 

 Behring Sea south to Lower California (resident). 



Breeding Range : From Washington northward on islands near the coast. 



Breeding Season : Approximately, June 1 to August 20. 



Nest : In crevice or at end of burrow, 2 to 4 feet from entrance, some- 

 times lined with refuse, but oftener bare. 



Eggs: 1 ; chalky white, with faint gray markings. Size 2.70 X 1.82. 



The Rhinoceros Auklet is an odd-looking bird, hav- 

 ing a short chunky body, with head set so close to 

 its shoulders as to leave no neck at all, and legs so 



