NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 13 



nest cavities are Uneu with grass, moss, etc. A single egg Is laid, which Is oblong- 

 oval in shape, pure white in color and the shell is rough, measuring 2.74x1.84. 



15. BHINOCEEOS AUKLET. Cerrohinca monocerata (Pall.) Geog. Dlst— 

 Coasts and islands ol the North Pacific, from Lower California (resident) to Japan. 



On the islands of the Pacific coast, from Washington northward, the Horned- 

 billed Auk is said to breed, and iwas thought to breed on islands farther south. It 

 is nocturnal in its habits, remaining throughout the daytime in crevices among the 

 rocks and burrows in the ground, where it deposits its single egg. This is similar 

 to the egg of the Horned Puffin — dull, chalky white, with discolorations and faint 

 shell markings of obscure purplish-gray. Sizes range from 2.65 to 2.90 long and by 

 1.80 to 1.90 broad. Mr. Ridgway gives the size as 2.70x1.82. 



16. CASSIU'S AUKLET. Ptyclioramphus aleuticus (Pall.) Geog. Dist.— Pa- 

 cific coast of North America, from the Aleutian Islands to San Diego, breeding south- 

 ward to the Farallons. ' > 



Mr. Emerson found^ this species abundant on the Farallons. It is nocturnal in 

 its habits, flying and roving about during foggy, stormy or moonlight nights, but 

 never at dusk. After dusk, however, they come out of their holes in the rocks all 

 over the island, and can be heard calling to one another their peculiar notes, chee- 

 'rie-lcee, chee-ric-kee. Mr. Taylor says: "Some observer has stated that Cassin's 

 Auklet on tjie islands does not burrow. This is a mistake. Many of the Auklets lay 

 their eggs in holes in soft eatth in places where it can be found."* Mr. C. Barlow 

 remarks that the Tufted Puffin and Cassin's Auklet are somewhat similar in their 

 manner of nesting, and both species are usually found in the same locality, although 

 the Auklet nests in all situations about the island.f Any convenient crevice or 

 hole in a pile of rocks which affords a hiding place suits this species for the purpose 

 of depositing its single- egg. . Mr. Bryant, in his paper, "Birds and Eggs from the 

 Farallon Islands," says that this Auk arrives early in the year, coming in great 

 numbers in the night of January 14, 1887. Two and three young are supposed to be 

 reared In a season. Young birds in the down have been taken fh September. Con- 

 sidering the size of this species, it lays a very large egg. The bird measures eight 

 to nine and a half inches in length, or about the size of a full-grown Woodcock, while 

 its egg averages 2.25x1.47. At first appearance the egg seems to be white, but upon 

 holding it to the light it is a delicate shade of emerald green. The shell is finely 

 granulated, and the general shape of the egg is ovate, some more pointed than 

 others. Two extreme examples measure as follows: 1.97x1.42, 1.65x1.22. There is a 

 series of ninety-four eggs in the oological collection of Mr. C. W. Crandall, all taken 

 on South Farallon Island. The smallest of these measures 1.63x1.27, the largest 

 1.98x1.32, average size 1.81x1.33. 



17. PAROQUET AUKLET. CyclorrJiynchus psittaculus (Pall.) Geog. Dist.— 

 Coasts and islands of the North Pacific, from the Aleutian and Kurile Islands north- 

 "ward. 



* "A Trip to the Farallons," by H. E. Taylor, Vol. I, pp. 17-19, of The Nidologlst, an 

 Illustrated Monthly Magazine devoted to the study of Ornithology with special reference 

 to the Nidlfication of North Am.erican Birds. H. R. Taylor editor and publisher. As- 

 sociated with Dr. R. W. Shufeldt. Office: Alameda, Cal. 



t An Ornithological Paradise. Some observations gleaned from a sojourn In the 

 famous Farallon Islands. By C. Barlow, Santa Clara, Cal.; In The Museum, a Journal de- 

 voted exclusively to research in Natural Science. Published by Walter F. Webb Albion 

 N. Y., Vol. I. pp. 38-«. 



