814 



SYSTEMATIC SYNOPSIS.— PYGOPODES. 



869. fi- crave'rii? (To F. Craven. Pig. 551.) Cravbri's Murrelet. EesemWes the last; 

 questionably distinct ; differs in having the under surface of the wing dark. L. California, 

 both sides. 

 ',870. B. brachy'pterus ? (Gr. ^paxvs, hradms, short; itrepov, pteron, wing.) Short-winged 

 Murrelet. Tarsus said to be longer than middle toe. BiU about i as long as head 

 Above, cinereous, the wings and tail 

 blackish. Neck on sides and below, 

 breast and belly white. Length 9.00. 

 Unalashka. (This is the substance of 



Brandt's original description. The al- m^^h^VI^^^^^^^^ iw i; , ^ «, 

 leged species is unknown to me, and no ^"*«!9(J^^ * Y* * 



specimens are known to exist in this 

 country.) 

 345. U'BIA. (Gr. ovpia, owria, a kind of 

 water fowl.) Black Guillemots. Bill 

 much shorter than head, about- equal to 

 tarsus, straight, rather stout, moderately 

 compressed ; culmen at first straight, then 

 decurved ; gape straight to near tip ; 

 gonys short, straight, ascending, about J Fio- 651- — Craveri's Murrelet, nat. size. (From ElUot.) 

 as long as culmen. No nick or groove near tip of upper mandible ; its tomial edge scarcely 

 inflected. Nasal fossae large and deep, partially filled with feathers which do not entirely 

 cover the nostrils. Feathers salient in rounded outline on side of lower mandible. Tail little 

 rounded, contained 3f times inlength of wing. Tarsus entirely reticulate, slightly shorter than 

 middle toe without claw. Claws compressed, arched, acute, the outer grooved on outer side, 

 the middle dilated on inner edge. No postoeular furrow in plumage. Color black, relieved 

 with white on head or wing, bill black, feet red; in winter, largely white. Eggs plural, 

 • colored. Three or four species. 



Analysla <f Species. 



A large white mirror on wing above and below, entire ; no white about head grylle 871 



A large white mirror on wing above, partly divided; none below; no white about head . . . .columba 872 

 No white mirror on wing; parts about eye and bill wliite carbo 873 



871. U. grylle. (N. European name of the bird. Fig. 552.) Black Guillemot. Sea-pigeon. 

 Adult in fuU dress : Plumage sooty-black with a tint of " invisible " green ; wings and tail pure 

 black ; former with a large white mirror on both surfaces ; bill and claws black ; mouth and 



feet carmine, vermilion or coral red; eyes brown 

 This faultless dress-suit is only worn about twc 

 months. In August, the wings and tail fade to 

 gray ; the body-color loses the green gloss ; the 

 white mirror is soiled with brown. When the 

 quills and tail-feathers have fallen, and new ones 

 partly grown, the progress of the moult gives a 

 new clean white mirror, smaller than in midsum- 

 mer; head and neck aU around, rump and under 

 parts, marbled with black and white, the bird 

 looking as if dusted over with flour; back black. 

 Completion of the moult gives the following winter 



FiQ. 652. — Black Guillemot, nat. size. 



the feathers mostly edged with white, 

 plumage: Wings and taU black, the white mirror faultless; head and neck aU. around, rump 

 and under parts, white ; back and more or less of the hind neck and head black, variegated 

 with white. Young in first plumage : BiU black, feet dusky reddish. Upper parts plumbeous 



