ALC^. 291 



One genus, Golymbus. Peculiar to Northern Hemisphere, frequenting seas in preference to 

 fresh water. Nest of water plants near water, with two or three eggs, olive, with dark spots. 

 Five species, viz. — 



C. septentrionalis. 24". The Red-throated Diver. Above ash-brown, spotted white. Bill 

 black. Head and neck streaked black and white, and patched grey. Circumpolar, ranging 

 south in winter to the Mediterranean, Black, and Caspian Seas, S. China, California, and Florida. 



0. arciicus. 28". The Black-throated Diver. Above uniform brown. Wing-coverts spotted 

 white. Bill black. Head and neck streaked black and white, and patched grey. Iceland, 

 N. Europe, and Asia, ranging south in winter to Mediterranean, Black and Caspian Seas. 



C. pcuyifiaus. 24". A subspecies resembling C. areticus, but with neck smoky white. 

 N. America, also recorded from Japan. 



C. glacialis. 33". The Great Northern Diver. Above ash-brown, margined grey. Throat 

 with two black rings, and two black and white rings streaked vertically. Bill black. N. America, 

 •Greenland, Iceland, Europe, Asia to Behring Straits, south in winter to Gulf of Mexico and 

 Mediterranean Sea. 



0. adamsi. 36". The White-billed Diver. Similar to 0. gladalis, but bill is pale yellow 

 or whitish. North of N. America and Asia, ranging south in winter to Japan, and occasionally 

 to Norway and the British Isles. (B.M. Cat., xxvi. 485-501.) 



Order ALCffl.* Auks, Eazokbills, Guillemots, 

 and Puffins. 



Bill high and sharp on culmen. No hind toe. Anterior toes fully webbed. Third toe 

 longest. Tail twelve to eighteen feathers. Schizognathous. Differ from Gulls in their squat 

 appearance, extraordinary diving powers, close-set plumage, manner of nidification, and shape 

 of egg. Two moults in a year. Breed in Arctic and sub-Arctic regions, never found south of 

 ■equator. No nest, one egg (the Black Guillemot excepted). 



Subfamily Alcin^. Auks, Eazoebills, and Guillemots. 



Feathers on lores extend at least to posterior border of nasal opening. Nostril rather exposed, 

 or overhung, or partially concealed by dense velvety feathers. Seven genera. 



Bill greatly compressed and tranversely grooved. 



One genus, Plautus. With inter-ramal feathers extending beyond anterior border of nasal 

 opening. Tail of fourteen feathers. One species, viz. — 



P. impennis. 30". The Great Auk or Garefowl, now extinct. Head, throat, back, and 

 tail black. Breast and abdomen white. A large white oval patch in front of the eye. No 

 nest, one egg (4| x 2J), white, clouded brown. Formerly inhabiting coasts and islands of 

 N. Atlantic, south of the Arctic Circle. Wing from 6" to 6J", and incapable of flight. 



" Mr. Stevens, the auctioneer of King Street, Coveut Garden, sold on 12.3.88 a Great Auk's 

 egg for £225. There are only sixty-seven recorded specimens of this egg. So plentiful was this 

 bird some 250 years ago, that vessels fishing on the Newfoundland coast were victualled with 

 Garefowls, and as the crews could secure them when found on land by the simple process of 

 placing a plank from shore to the boat up which the birds could be driven, they were not slow 

 to avail themselves of the supply. This wholesale slaughter naturally resulted in the extinction 

 of a bird which had no power of flight. It survived in Europe but a few years after its 

 extinction in America, and the last two specimens of which we have trustworthy evidence were 

 killed in Iceland in 1844" (Illustrated London News, 17.3.88). 



One genus, Alca. With inter-ramal feathers extending to anterior border of nasal opening. 

 Tail of twelve feathers. One species, viz. — 



A. tarda. 15" to 17i". The Razorbill, Wings 74", fully developed, reaching nearly to 

 end of tail. Flies well. Head and above black, below white. Bill black, with transverse 

 white band across both mandibles. Coasts of N. Atlantic, ranging south in winter to New 

 England in America, the Mediterranean, and occasionally to the Canary Islands. No nest, one 

 egg (2-8 X 1-8), buff, marbled and spotted brown. Both male and female take part in duties of 

 incubation, and when the young bird is ready for the sea, it is taken by one of the parents by 

 the neck (like a oat would her kitten), and carried to the water. 



* Not represented in India. 



