72 AUK. 



harbinger of ice ;* in Shetland, called Rochie, or Ratch : seen by 

 myriads in August, in lat. 75° 44. west, and long. 61° 20. west.t 



It is now and then met with in England, but is far from common; 

 I have received two specimens only, the one shot near Dover, and 

 the other not far from Dartford, both of which were in the winter 

 dress. Dr. Lamb also mentioned to me a third, shot in November, 

 1807, in the Mill Stream, at Newbury : is sometimes seen of a pure 

 white. £ 



12— MINUTE AUK. 



SIZE not much exceeding that of a Bunting ; length five inches 

 and a half. Bill stout, small, rather compressed ; general colour of 

 the plumage brown; next the nostrils some hoary lines ; the upper 

 mandible covered half way with feathers ; under parts of the body 

 pale, and mixed with waved lines. — In Mr. Bullock's Museum. 



* * WITH A DEPRESSED BILL. 



13— FLAT-BILLED AUK. 



Alca pygmea, bid. Orn. ii. 796. Gm. Lin. i. 555. 

 Pygmy Auk, Arct. Zool. ii. No. 431. 

 Flat-billed Auk, Gen. Syn. v. 328. 



LENGTH seven inches. Bill three quarters of an inch long, and 

 black; the top is ridged, but on the sides of the ridge is considerably 



* Arct. Zool. Met with there in great abundance. — Phipps's Voy. p. 186. 



f Called Rotges. — Ross's Voy. p. 13. Used for food. A large Gull is here mentioned, 

 which, when killed, disgorged one of these birds entire. So plentiful in Baffin's Bay, as 

 fifteen to be killed at a shot, and used by the sailors for food. 



+ Alca Candida, Brim. No. 107. Mulkr, p. 17. 



