1877.] 163 [Barrows. 



basis, made three sub-families. The principal objection which Dr. 

 Coues makes to the arrangement of Prof. Brandt, is that it brings the 

 Guillemots (Lomvia) next the typical Auks (Alca) ; whereas he as- 

 serts that Alca and Fratercula are more closely related, and that Alca 

 and Lomvia should stand at opposite ends of the chain or series. 

 For, however much these two authors differ with regard to sub- 

 families, both agree that the genera and species of Auks do form a 

 continuous chain which seems to take the form of a circle, and the 

 only question is as to the number of parts into which this circle shall 

 be divided, and at what points the dividing lines shall be drawn. 

 The order in which it seems to be agreed the links of this chain shall 

 stand, is as follows: Alca, Fratercula, Lunda, Ombria, Phaleris, Mer- 

 gulus, Brachyrhamphus, Uria, Lomvia. 



Essentially this order is accepted by both Brandt and Coues, but 

 the former begins with Alca and then passes to Lomvia, and so 

 through the series, ending with Fratercula ; while the latter puts all 

 the other forms between Alca and Lomvia. I cannot, and I do not 

 try to, reconcile the grouping of these two authors, for I do not think 

 the family can oe subdivided into groups higher than generic ; I 

 think the circle should be left unbroken. That the " three groups " 

 of Coues do " stand forth with tolerable distinctness," may be a fact, 

 but the groups seem to me to rest on superficial characters, for I 

 believe that Alca is much more closely related to Lomvia than to any 

 other genus, and indeed so closely related that the two forms ought 

 not on any account to be separated — certainly not placed in two 

 different sub-families. The adult forms do not, it is true, at the first 

 glance, very much resemble each other; but between the immature, 

 though almost full grown Alca torda, and the adult of Lomvia arra, 

 there is a resemblance which is something more than superficial or 

 accidental. And yet, striking as is this resemblamce, it is, if we are 

 to credit Naumann, even more striking in the young in the downy 

 plumage. He says (Naturg. Vdg. Deutschl., xn, p. 536) " the nest- 

 plumage of young of this species {Lomvia arra) so much resembles 

 that, of others that they are only to be distinguished by the still 

 shorter little bill, when they can be compared side by side with those 

 of the same age. But again, on the other hand, the bill in the first 

 week of life resembles that of the young Alca torda so much, that 

 their dark colored throats alone distinguish them from the latter." 



In size, habits, color, and general structure, these birds are nearly 

 identical, as will be seen by a comparison of the descriptions ; almost 



