BIRDS OF NORTH AND MIDDLE AMERICA. 771 
phalanges of middle toe; claws relatively large, strongly curved, 
acute. 
Ornamental plumes.—A long and slender, strongly recurved frontal 
crest, consisting of several (about 7-10) slender, filamentous plumes, 
inserted in quincunx pattern’; a triangular loral area of short acicular 
white plumes, sending backward two branches, the upper originating 
at sides of forehead, consisting of very slender, thread-like, greatly 
elongated recurved plumes, the lower branching from lower portion of 
loral region and consisting of broader (acicular) plumes which extend | 
diagonally backward and downward across the malar region, the 
plumes gradually becoming longer and finally somewhat decurved 
posteriorly; another series of slender (filamentous) straight white 
plumes originates immediately beneath posterior portion of eye and 
extends obliquely backward and downward across auricular region, 
these also becoming longer posteriorly, where they overhang sides of 
neck; bill without deciduous accessory pieces, but the upper layers of 
the corneous covering scale off after the breeding season.* , 
Coloration.—Above plain grayish dusky, the under parts paler, 
fading into very pale gray or grayish white posteriorly; ornamental 
head-plumes white, except recurved frontal crest, which is blackish. 
Range.—Aleutian Islands to northern Japan. (Monotypic.) 
ALCELLA PYGMAA (Gmelin). 
WHISKERED AUKLET. 
Adults in breeding season (sexes alike).—Upper parts plain grayish 
dusky (nearest dark neutral gray), darkest on pileum and sides of 
head, more slaty on scapulars, rump, and upper tail-coverts, gradually 
passing into dusky gray (between chetura drab and dark quaker drab) 
on chin, throat, and foreneck, this passing through dull neutral gray 
on chest into white on anal region and under tail-coverts; under 
wing-coverts wholly grayish brown (hair brown); ornamental head- 
plumes white, except the recurved frontal crest, which is dull blackish 
and grayish dusky; bill bright red (blood red to scarlet), its tip and 
a narrow space round base of mandible whitish; iris white; legs and 
feet bluish gray, tinged with violet, the joints darker gray, the webs 
and soles blackish.? c 
Winter plumage.—Not materially different from the breeding 
plumage (all the ornamental plumes being retained), but color of 
bill duller, the nasal cuirass being dusky instead of red. 
@ See Stejneger, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., no. 29, 1885, 26-29. 
b For more detailed description of the fresh colors of unfeathered patel in this species 
see Stejneger, Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus., no. 29, 1885, 30, 31. 
