875. 
876. 
. Myriads of murres congregate to breed on rocky 
ALCIDA’ —ALCINE: MURRES. 817 
and handle back of eye in the furrow of the plumage. In winter: White of under parts reaching 
to the bill, on sides of head to level of the commissure, farther around on sides of neck, leaving 
only a narrow isthmus of dark color; the two colors shading without distinct line of demarca- 
tion ; usually a spur of dark color in the furrow behind eye. Young, first winter, like the 
adults at that season ; bill shorter and weaker, and, like the feet, in part light-colored. Fledg- 
lings dusky brownish, with white breast and belly, and whitish about head and neck. Length 
17.00; extent 30.00; wing 8.00; tail 2.25; tarsus 1.40; middle toe and claw 2.10; outer do. 
2.00; inner do. 1.70; bill along culmen 1.75; 
gape 2.50; gonys 1.15; depth at base 0.55; 
width 0.30. European and American coasts 
and islands of the N. Atlantic, to or beyond 80° 
N.; on the Amer. side breeding from Nova 
Scotia northward ; in winter to the Middle States. Fig. 556. — Common Guillemot, or Murre, nearly 
nat, size. (From Elliot.) 
islands, incubating their single eggs as closely together as they can find standing-room on the 
shelves of the cliffs; their ranks serried on ledge after ledge, and clouds of birds whirling 
through the air. The eggs, so numerous as to have commercial value, are notorious for their 
variability in coloration. The size is great for that of the bird, averaging 3.25 X 2.00, run- 
ning unusually from 3.00 we 3.50, with half as much variation in breadth. The ground color 
ranges from creamy to pure white, then through 
earthy, grayish, bluish, or greenish-white to 
sea-green and every darker shade of green. The 
markings of the creamy and white varieties are 
generally spots and blotches of different shades 
of brown, pretty uniformly dispersed, and eggs 
of this type resemble those of the razor-Dill, 
but may usually be distinguished by larger size 
Fic. 557. — Common Guillemot, nat. size. (in length) and more pyriform shape. The 
green eggs are endlessly varied, in pattern of the markings, but are normally more streaked in 
sharp angular zigzag lines, inextricably confused, reminding one of Chinese literature. 
L. t. califor’nica. (Fig. 558.) CALIFORNIAN GUILLEMOT. Like the last. Bill averaging 
somewhat longer, about 1.90; culmen, commissure, and gonys nearly straight; upper mandible 
somewhat dilated toward the base along the cutting edges, and less feathered; gonydeal angle 
prominent. The bill consequently approaches that of the next species, in width and depth, but 
exaggerates the Jength and straightness of that of the last species. Pacific coast of N. Am., 
breeding from islands in Behring’s sea.to California. 
L. ar/ra. (Russian name, arrie. Fig. 559.) THICK-BILLED GUILLEMOT. ARRIE. . Like the 
foregoing in plumage and its changes. Form very robust. Bill short, stout, wide, deep ; culmen 
curved throughout; commissure decurved at end; gonys if anything concave in outline, the angle 
very protuberant; cutting edges of the upper mandible dilated and denuded toward the base, 
52 
