262 LITTLE GUILLEMOT. 



length, one inch and an eighth in its greatest breadth. It is remarkably 

 large for the size of the bird, and of a dull uniform pale greenish-blue. 



Genus V.— URIA, Lath. GUILLEMOT. 



Bill generally shorter than the head, stout, compressed, tapering, acute; 

 upper mandible with the dorsal line slightly arched; the ridge narrow, 

 broader at the base, the sides sloping, the edges sharp and inflected, the tip 

 a little decurved, with a slight notch; nasal groove broad, feathered; nostrils 

 at its lower edge, sub-basal, lateral, longitudinal, linear; lower mandible with 

 the angle rather long, narrow, the dorsal line ascending and straight, the 

 back very narrow, the sides nearly fiat, the edges sharp and inflected, the tip 

 acute. Head large, oblong; neck short and thick; body stout, elongated, 

 rather depressed. Feet short, placed far behind; the greater part of the 

 tibia concealed, its lower part bare; tarsus short, stout, compressed, ante- 

 riorly scutellate; toes three, of moderate length, middle toe longest, outer 

 little shorter, scutellate, connected by entire webs. Claws small, slightly 

 arched, compressed, rather acute. Plumage dense, very soft, blended. 

 Wings rather short, narrow, acute; primary quills curved, tapering, the first 

 and second longest; secondaries short, rounded. Tail very short, rounded, 

 of twelve or more feathers. 



