Family 2. Cepphidte. Guillemots. 



Medium-sized Alcids; black, with large white blotch on wing. Rectrices 12-14. Only I Californian. 



293. Pigeon Guillemot. 



Family 3. Brachyramphid^e. Murrelets. 



Small Alcids of somewhat lengthened (short fusiform) proportions; blackish above, white or mottled below; 

 bill acute, normal. 5 species, 3 Californian. 



I. Tarsus in front (acrotarsium) "reticulate," like fine irregular cob- 



blestones. 



A. Rectrices 14. 295. Marbled Murrelet. 



B. Rectrices 12. 296. Xantus's Murrelet. 



II. Tarsus scutellate (scales flush or overlapping in regular series). 294. Ancient Murrelet. 



Family 4. Alcids. Auks, Murres. 



Crow-sized Alcids, having nostrils concealed by dense feathers; coloration black above, white below; bill length- 

 ened, not specially modified. Rectrices 12. 4 species; 1 (subspecies) Californian. 



297. California Murre. 



Family 5. Fraterculid;e. Puffins. 



Crow-sized (or not less than crow-sized) Alcids, having stout compressed beaks, whose appearance is greatly 

 heightened during the breeding season by the addition of various deciduous plates. Rectrices 12-14. 4 species. 

 3 Californian. 



I. Underparts and sides of head white. 299. Horned Puffin. 



II. General plumage black. 



A. Bill enormously compressed. 298. Tufted Puffin. 



B. Bill more moderate, with elevated horn at base. 300. Horn-billed Puffin. 



Order 13. GRUES. 

 Family Gruidje. Cranes. 



Characters additional to the order are: exposed portion of tibia bare; neck and legs greatly lengthened; bill 

 moderately long, straight, acute, or abruptly pointed, the mandible with lateral grooves, the maxilla with deep nasal 

 furrow; wings large, rounded, with 11 primaries and up to 22 secondaries. Two well-known Californian forms, here 

 grouped as one species. 



301. Sandhill Crane. 



Order 14. RALLIFORMES. 

 Family Rallid^e. Rails, etc. 



Characters those of the order. About 175 species, of which 9 (7) Californian. 



I. Toes simple; body compressed; no frontal shield (Railing) 



A. Length about 15 inches. 



1. More robust — from San Francisco Bay and northerly. 302. California Clapper Rail. 



2. (Doubtfully) smaller and with smaller feet — from San Diego 



region. 303. Light-footed Rail. 



3. From Lower Colorado River. 304. Yuma Clapper Rail. 



B. Length above 8 inches. 



1. Bill decidedly more than an inch long. 305. Virginia Rail. 



2. Bill decidedly less than one inch long. 306. Sora Rail. 



C. Length 7 inches or under; yellowish brown and black. 307. Yellow Rail. 



D. Length 6 inches or less; black. 308. California Black Rail. 



II. Having a bare, horny, frontal shield. 



A. Frontal shield chiefly reddish; toes merely margined. . 309. Florida Gallinule. 



B. Frontal shield white; toes with broad collapsible flaps, "lobate". 310. American Coot. 



2089 



