ZOOLOGY — BIRDS. 75 



MORMON CIRRHATUS, L a t h.— Tufted Puffin. 



Mormon drrkatus, Aud. B. of A. Get. vol. VII, p. 234, pi. 462. — Nutt. Cm. vol. II, p. 539. 

 Alca cirrhata, Latham's Birds, vol. X, p. 57, pi. 170. 



This curious, odd-looking, and interesting species was observed on the Farrallones, and 

 known by the inhabitants as the sea parrot. A deep cleft or crevice in the rock is chosen by 

 them for the purposes of incubation, and a single dirty white egg, sometimes faintly dashed 

 with brown, is laid on the bare ground at the innermost extremity of the cavity. To procure 

 the eggs I was obliged to wrap my hand in a stout handkerchief, having several times ascer- 

 tained by experience that a severe and cutting wound was the result of a bite from their knife- 

 like and powerful bill. 



PTYOHORHAMPHUS ALEUTICUS, Pallas. 



Mergulas cassinii, Gambel, Proc. Acad. N. Sc. Phil. vol. II, p. 266. ( 1845.) 

 Ptychorhamphus aleuticus, Cassin, in Baird's Gen. Rep. IX, 910. 



In 1851 while enveloped in a dense fog some twenty miles off the bay of San Francisco^ the 

 captain of our ship, alarmed at the sound of breakers, lowered a boat to ascertain our where- 

 abouts. Invited to join him, I took my gun and soon observed this small murre which occasionally 

 shot by on its way to the Farrallones. Approaching within a few yards of the rock bound 

 shores, its high peaks were seen covered with cormorants, gulls and other varieties of sea fowl. 

 Our bearings taken, we returned to the ship, and on our way I shot a single specimen of this 

 bird. The stomach I found, on dissection, to be filled with small fish and minute marine insects. 

 They ahound on these islands during the winter but on my return in spring they had already 

 left to pass their summer in more northern climes. 



CERORHINA OCCIDENT ALIS, B o nap .—Horn-Billed Auk. 



Cerorhinca occidentalis, Nutt. Orn. vol. II, p. 538. 



Ceratorhina occidentalis, Ano. B. of A. Fol. pi. 402, fig. 5. • 



Una occidentalis, Add. Oct. vol. VII, p. 364, pi. 471. 



In the month of June on the Farrallones, while watching under the lee of a rock to shoot the 

 sea lion, (a large species of seal,) which towards dusk leaves the ocean to crawl up on the shores, 

 I first saw this singular bird pass by me with a small fish in its mouth and plunge suddenly as if 

 into the ground. This aroused my attention as all other birds had retired to rest, save here and 

 there a restless gull. On examining the ground next morning I found burrows leading under 

 the rocks in which they lie concealed during the day, having never met them in my rambles 

 which extended in all directions over the island and at all hours. By watching, however, several 

 nights, I procured a few specimens. In these holes they had young, a single one being in each 

 nest. I procured, during the winter, a young plumaged hird off the island of Santa Marguerita, 

 on the coast of Lower California. 



URIA BRUNNICHII, S a b i n e .—Large-Billed Guillemot. 



Uria brunnichii, Aud. B. of A. Oct. vol. VII, p. 265, pi. 472.— Rich. & Sw. F. Bor. Am. vol. II, p. 477. 

 Uria brunnichii, NtiiT. Orn. vol. II, p, 529. — Gould, B. of Eur. vol. V, pi. 398. 

 Uria ringvia, Cassin, in Baird's Gen. Rep. IX, 914. 



This bird is abundant on the sea coast, the Farrallones being one of its favorite breeding 

 resorts. The traiBc in their eggs from this place to San Francisco and inland reaches the value 



