ClafsII. P U R R E. 375 



bill and eyes : the chin white : underfide of the neck 

 mottled with brown : the back is of a brownifh afh- 

 color : the breaft and belly white : the coverts of the 

 wings and tail a dark brown, edged with light afh- 

 color or white : the greater coverts dusky, tipt with 

 white : the upper part of the quil-feathers dusky, the 

 lower white: the two middle feathers of the tail 

 dusky, the reft: of a pale afh-color, edged with whiter 

 the legs of a dusky green; the toes divided to their 

 origin. The bill an inch and a half long, (lender and 

 black ; irides dusky. 



Thefe birds come in prodigious flocks on our fea- 

 coafts during the winter : in their flight they perform 

 their evolutions with great regularity ; appearing 

 like a white, or like a dusky cloud, as they turn their 

 backs or their breafts towards you. They leave our 

 mores in fpring, and retire to fome unknown place to 

 breed. 



Genus 



