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Genus UEIA. 



Uria, Brisson, Orn. vi. p. 73 (1760). 



Colymbus apud Linnaeus, Syst. Nat. i. p. 220 (1766). 



Cepphus apud Pallas, Spicil. Zool. v. p. 33 (1769). 



Grille apud Leach, fide Stephens in Shaw's Gen. Zool. xii. pt. 2, p. 250 (1824). 



Ceplms apud C. L. Brehm, Vog. Deutschl. p. 987 (1831). 



In this genus I have included only the Black Guillemot and its allies (Uria mandti, Uria 

 columba, and Uria carbo), which inhabit the northern portions of the Palsearctic and Nearctic 

 Regions, the first two only being found in the Western Palsearctic Region. In general habits 

 these birds resemble the common Guillemot not a little ; and like that species they are oceanic, 

 being usually found tolerably far out at sea, except during the breeding-season. They swim 

 with ease, sitting very lightly on the water, and dive extremely well, frequently remaining for 

 some time below the surface. Their flight is quick, direct, and performed by a perpetual rapid 

 beating of the wings. Unlike the species I have included in the genus Alca, those belonging to 

 the present genus do not place a single egg on the exposed ledge of a rock, but they lay two or 

 three eggs on the bare ground or gravel, or more frequently in the cleft of a rock or under a 

 stone, sometimes near the edge of the water, or sometimes at a considerable altitude in the 

 cliffs. Their eggs are usually white, or occasionally white with a pale greenish tinge, and are 

 spotted and blotched with pale purplish and dark blackish brown. 



Uria grylle, the type of the genus, has the beak rather longer than the head, moderately 

 stout, nearly straight, tapering, the tip narrowed, rounded, sharp-edged, the nasal sinus broad 

 and feathered, the nostrils basal, linear ; wings small, pointed, the first quill longest ; tail short, 

 slightly rounded ; legs short, stout, placed far behind ; tibia bare for a short distance ; the tarsus 

 stout, compressed, covered with small, irregular, roundish scales; hind toe wanting, anterior 

 toes moderately long, connected by webs, the inner toe much shorter than the outer one ; claws 

 stout, slightly arched, rather blunt, that on the middle toe dilated on the inner edge. 



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