BIRDS OF NORTH AND MIDDLE AMERICA. 767 
Genus CICERONIA Reichenbach. 
Ciceronia RercuenBacuH, Natitirl. Syst. Vog., 1852, p. iii. (Type, by original 
designation, Phaleris nodirostra Bonaparte= Uria pusilla Pallas.) 
Very small Phalerine * (wing 88-98 mm.) with small, subconical, 
little-compressed bill, and no frontal crest, but with a deciduous, com- 
pressed knob near base of culmen during breeding season. 
Bill relatively small, the exposed culmen only about half as long 
as tarsus, subconical but with culmen distinctly convex, slightly 
compressed, its width at base of exposed culmen slightly less than its 
depth at same point; gonys about as long as distance from nostril to 
tip of maxilla, straight or very faintly convex, ascending terminally, 
its basal angle moderately prominent; tomia nearly straight, both 
very slightly notched subterminally; nostril longitudinal, narrowly 
ovate, overhung by the flaring or reflexed edge of the semi-corneous 
nasal membrane, which also separates the nostril from the loral or 
latero-frontal feathering; mandibular rami feathered nearly to its 
anterior end, the malar antia about on line (vertically) with middle 
of nostril, and nearly if not quite as far forward as mental antia; 
latero-frontal antia about on line (vertically) with posterior end of 
nostril, the medio-frontal line very slightly receding. Wing rather 
small, the longest primaries (two outermost) exceeding distal sec- 
ondaries by decidedly less than half (little more than one-third) the 
length of wing. Tail about one-third as long as wing, slightly 
rounded; rectrices 14. Tarsus slightly shorter than middle toe 
without claw, the acrotarsium reticulate; outer toe (without claw) as 
long as middle toe (without claw), the inner toe as long as first two 
phalanges of middle toe. 
Nuptial ornaments.—During breeding season, at the base of culmen 
a small compressed knob, a median outgrowth from the supranasal 
saddle; forehead and anterior portion of lores with rather short 
acicular white feathers, besides two lines of elongated acicular white 
feathers, one originating at the rictus and extending backward 
between the suborbital and malar regions, the other starting imme- 
diately beneath eye and extending backward along upper edge of 
auricular region. 
Coloration.—Above plain blackish, the outermost scapulars inter- 
mixed with white, the proximal secondaries tipped with whitish; under 
parts mostly white, in breeding season more or less spotted or blotched 
with dusky, this often forming a distinct band across foreneck. 
Range.—Coasts and islands of Bering Sea, and southward to 
Washington and northern Japan. (Monotypic.) 
@ Smallest of the Alcide 
