816 



SYSTEMATIC SYNOPSIS. —PYGOPODES. 



346. 



874 



liOM'VIA. (N. European name of birds of this kind.) MuRRES. Guillemots. Egg- 

 birds. Bill shorter than head, longer than tarsus, straight or Slightly decurved, much com- 

 pressed ; culmen regularly curved throughout ; rictus curved in most of its length ; gonys 

 straight, or little curved, nearly as long as culmen ; upper mandible grooved on the side near 

 tip, its commissural edge greatly inflected. Nasal fossae fuUy feathered. Feathers on lower 



Fig. 655. — Gathering Mnire's eggs in Alasl^a. (Designed by H. W. Elliott.) 



mandible retreating in straight oblique line from interramal space to rictus. Tail short, much 

 rounded, contained over 3 times in length of wing. Tarsus compressed, much shorter than 

 middle toe and claw ; outer claw uot grooved on outer face. A furrow in plumage behind eye. 

 Colors dark above, white below. Egg single, pictured, pyriform. 



ATialysis of Species. 



Depth of bill opposite nostrils uot more than ^ the length of culmen. 



Bill comparatively slender, uot dilated along edge of upper mandible at base, the culmen, commissure 



and gonys curved. Atlantic . . . . 



Bill stouter, somewhat dilated along edges of upper mandible at base, the culmen, rictus, and gonys 



nearly straight. Pacific ealifamica 



Depth of bill opposite nostrils more than J the length of culmen. 



Bill very stout, thick, deep, much dilated along edges of upper mandible at base ; culmen, commissure 

 and gonys curved ... arra 



iroile 874 



875 



876 



li. troile. (Nom. propr., of uncertain reference. Figs. 536, 557, 560.) Common Guillemot, or 

 MuERE. Adult in summer : Head and neck all around rich dark maroon brown, changing on 

 upper parts into dark slaty-brown, nearly uniform, but most of the feathers of the back and rump 

 with slightly lighter, more grayish-brown, edges. Secondaries narrowly but distinctly tipped with 

 white. Tinder parts from the throat pure white, the sides and flanks marked with dusky or slaty, 

 the lining of the wings varied with white and dusky. Bill black ; mouth yellow ; eyes brown; 

 feet blackish. In some cases, not in most, a white " eye-glass," consisting of a rim around eye 



