SLENDER-BILLED GUILLEMOT. 279 



Abundant on the north-west coast of America, not far from the Columbia 

 river. 



Adult. 



Bill shorter than the head, straight, slender, much compressed, acute. 

 Upper mandible with the dorsal line convex and declinate, the ridge very 

 narrow, the sides erect and convex toward the end, the edges sharp and 

 inflected, with a distinct notch near the tip, which is rather acute and 

 caniculate beneath. Nostrils medial, narrow near the margin, in the fore 

 parts of the long nasal sinus, which is feathered. Lower mandible with the 

 angle long and very narrow, the dorsal line ascending and straight, the sides 

 nearly erect, but convex, the edges sharp and inflected, the tip very acute. 



Head of moderate size, oblong; neck short; body full, depressed; wings 

 small. Feet placed far behind, very short and slender; tarsus very short, 

 reticulate; toes slender, with numerous short scutella; the first wanting; the 

 third or middle toe longest, the inner much shorter than the outer; claws 

 small, slightly arched, compressed, rather acute. 



Plumage very soft, close, blended, rather glossy; feathers of the head 

 very short, of the back oblong, of the lower parts ovate. Wings small, very 

 narrow, convex, falcate; first quill longest, second a twelfth of an inch 

 shorter, the rest rapidly diminishing; secondaries incurved, obliquely 

 rounded. Tail extremely short, narrow, rounded, of twelve weak, rounded 

 feathers. 



Bill black. Feet yellow; claws black. The upper parts are brownish- 

 black, the feathers of the back terminally margined with light grey; the 

 lower parts, cheeks, a transverse band on the nape, both eyelids, and a 

 longitudinal band on each side, formed by some of the scapulars, white, some 

 dusky streaks on the hind part of the sides, and the lower wing-covert 

 greyish-brown, the larger tipped with dull white. 



Length to end of tail 10 inches; bill along the ridge ff, along the edge of 

 lower mandible l-f^; wing from flexure 5 T 2 f ; tail 1 T %; tarsus j%; middle toe 

 1 T ] 2, its claw yf. 



Young in autumn. 



Bill and feet as in the adult. The upper parts are brownish-black, the 

 feathers terminally margined with brown; the occipital band is merely 

 indicated by some lighter feathers, and the scapular band is brownish or 

 chestnut-red. The lower parts have a curious mottled appearance, the 

 feathers being brownish-grey at the end, but in the rest of their extent white, 

 that colour appearing more or less on all parts, and shewing a patch on the 

 hind part of the sides. 



Length to end of tail 9| inches; bill along the ridge -ff , along the edge of 



