658 : LITTLE AUK. 
still regularly resort to the same old haunts, which have been occupied 
by their kind for a long time past. This is the case with the flocks 
which now breed at Pallinsburne, in Northumberland, where they are 
accounted of great use in clearing the surrounding lands of noxious 
insects, worms, slugs, &c.” * 
—<—>— 
LITTLE AUk.—ALCA ALLE. — Fic. 315. 
Lath. Gen. Syn. p. 327.— Br. Zool. ii. No. 233, pl. 82.— Arct. Zool. No. 429. — 
Turt. Syst. 1, 338.— Faun. Suec. No. 142. — Faun. Groenl. No. 54. — Brun. 
Orn. No.106. — Martin’s Spitz. 85, — Mergulus Melanoleucos rostro acuto brevi, 
Raii Syn. p. 135. a. 5.— Small Black and White Diver, Will. Ora. p. 343, pl 
59. — Edwards, pl. 91.— Greenland Dove, or Sea Turtle, Albin, 1, pl.85.— Le 
Petit Guillemot, Brisson, Orn. vi. p. 73, 2.— Buffon, Otis. xviii. p. 21, Pl. enl. 
No. 917. — Bewick’s British Birds, ti. p. 158. — Peale’s Museum, No. 2978. 
MERGULUS MELANOLEUCOS. — Ray.f 
Mergulus melanoleucos. Ruy. Synop. p. 125. — Flem. Brit. Anim. p. 135. — Uria 
(sub-gen. mergulus) alle, Bonup. Synop. p. 425.—Litile Auk, Mont. Orn. Dict. 
and Supp. — Selby, Mlust. pl. 81.— Uria alle, North. Zool. ii. p. 479. 
Or the history of this little stranger, but few particulars are known. 
With us it is a very rare bird, and, when seen, it is generally in 
* Bewicx’s British Birds, part ii. p. 201. 
t Ihave chosen the name of Ray for this species, as both appropriate, and, as far 
as my inquiries have led me, entitled to the priprity—and the difference in form 
from the Guillemots fully entitles it to the rank of a sub-genus. It is the only bird 
allied in any way to the Auks, Puffins, &c., which has been figured by Wilson, 
though several forms occur in the northern seas, and have been pointed out by him, 
whieh may be now mentioned, but Which will,be hereafter figured from the remain- 
ing volumes of the Continuation, by the Prince of Musignano, now in the press. I 
have therefore only added an enumeration from the Synopsis of that ornithologist, 
commencing with the Guillemots, for which the genus Uria has been adopted ; by 
some the Black Guillemot is separated, on account of straightness of the mandi- 
bles, whereas in the Common they are both bent at the tip. ‘Yn our present state of 
knowledge, I prefer retaining them together. 
t Uria, Briss. 
1. U. troile. Foolish Guillemot. — Common to both continents, and found during win- 
ter on the coasts of the United States. 
2. U. Brunichii. — Sab.— Inhabits both continents, and is common in Davis’s Straita, 
Baffin’s Bay, &c. It hus been said to have occurred once or twice on the British 
coasts. 
3. U. grylle, — Black Guillemot. — Common to both continents, and found during winter 
along the coasts of the United States. A few pairs breed annually on the rocky 
islands on the Frith of Forth. T have repeatedly found them on the Isle of May. 
4. U. marmorata, Lath.— Brown, undulated with chestnut ; beneath, dusky, spotted 
with white ; feet, orange ; bill, black, one inch long. Inhabits the north-western 
coasts of America, and the opposite shore of Asia. 
These are the characters given by Bonaparte to the last bird. Will it not be the 
immature state of some other species ? 
Phaleris, Temm. 
1. P. psittacula, Temm. — Perrequet Auk. —Inhabits the north-western coasts of 
America, and the opposite ones of Asia. Common in Kamtschatka. 
2. P. christatella, Temm. — Crested Auk. —The Prince of Musignano is only of opini 
that this may be found on the western shores of America; it is known in the Japan 
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