BIRDS OF NORTH AND MIDDLE AMERICA. 749 
Uria townsendi Avpuson, Birds Am., fol. ed., 1838, pl. 430; Orn. Biog., v, 1839, 
251 (near mouth Columbia River).—TownsEnp (J. K.), Narrative, 1839, 
352. 
Uria townsendii AupuBon, Synopsis, 1839, 351; Birds Am., 8vo. ed., vii, 1844, 
278, pl. 475. 
BRACHYRAMPHUS BREVIROSTRIS (Vigors). 
KITTLITZ’S MURRELET. 
Adults in breeding plumage (sexes alike).—Predominant color of 
upper parts dusky (varying from nearly black to nearly dark gull 
gray according to angle of view), the surface glossy and this dusky 
color broken everywhere (except on wings and tail) by irregular 
streaks or longitudinal spots of light buff, these broadest on scapulars, 
rump, and upper tail-coverts, the nape with buff predominating; 
wings grayish dusky, the middle and greater coverts and secondaries 
narrowly margined terminally with pale gray or grayish white (the 
distal coverts also narrowly edged with the same), the inner webs of 
secondaries broadly tipped with white; middle rectrices, narrowly 
tipped with white, the outermost rectrix white with a dusky shaft- 
streak on distal portion, the next two (on each side) similar but with 
the dusky distal streak broader, the fourth (from outside) with 
inner web white, the fifth and sixth with inner web mostly white; 
loral, suborbital, auricular, and malar regions, chin, throat, and 
upper foreneck light buff, narrowly and sparsely streaked with 
blackish; rest of under parts white, the lower foreneck, upper chest, 
and sides of lower neck, thickly marked with U-shaped bars of 
blackish, the sides and flanks similarly but more irregularly marked 
(the markings on outer portion assuming the form of irregular spots), 
the lower chest, breast, and abdomen with much fewer and narrower 
irregular bars of dusky, the anal region and under tail-coverts nearly 
immaculate; axillars and under wing-coverts uniform deep brownish 
gray (nearly hair brown); bill, black; iris, dark brown; legs and feet, 
pale brownish in dried skins, the webs, dusky. 
Winter plumage.—Pileum, crescentic bar immediately in front of 
eye, a broad bar across sides of upper chest (the two of opposite 
sides nearly meeting in front), and upper parts generally, deep slate- 
gray, with a silky gloss, the feathers of back and rump narrowly 
tipped with white, many of them showing a darker slate color 
beneath surface; scapulars mostly white, with slate-gray predominat- 
ing on outer webs; entire under parts, and all of head and neck, 
except as described Gncluding a collar across nape), immaculate 
white; wings and tail as in summer. 
Adult male.—Wing, 129-141 (135); tail, 31.5-34 (82.7); exposed 
culmen, 9.5-10.5 (10); tarsus, 15.5-16.5 (16); middle toe, 21.5-24 
(22.7).¢ 
« Two specimens, from Alaska. 
