808 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



Genus FRATERCULA Briss. 



Fratercula Brisson, Orn., I, p. 52 (1760 — Monotype: " fratercula " = 

 Fratercula arctica, cf. Orn., vi, p. 81, pi. VI, Fig. 2). 



Remarkable on account of its extraordinary red or orange bill, 

 which is knife-like, laterally compressed, strongly decurved in its 

 whole length, and with strong folds. At angle of mouth a curious 

 rosette which together with rugose fold at base of upper mandible 

 and horny covering of base of bill, falls off in late summer, and so 

 does the leathery piece below and appendage above eye. Feet red, 

 claws strong and curved. Nostril a narrow slit near base and 

 cutting edge of upper mandible. 2 species, European one consisting 

 of several subspecies. 



FRATERCULA ARCTICA 



472. Fratercula arctica grabae (Brehm.) — THE SOUTHERN 

 PUFFIN. 



Mormon Grabae Brehm, Handb. Naturg. Vog. Deutschl, p. 999 (1831 — 

 Faeroes and " other neighbouring Is."). 



Fratercula arctica (Linnaeus), Yarrell, iv, p. 90 ; Saunders, p. 707. 

 Fratercula arctica arctica (L.), Hand-List (1912), p. 208. 



Description. — Adult male and female. Winter. — Fore-head, crownand 

 nape grey-black, at base of back of neck a narrow, ill-defined greyer 

 line ; rest of upper-parts black, feathers often tipped greyish ; lores 

 and round anterior part of eye as well as ill-defined streak on each 

 side of chin and throat dusky-black, feathers being tipped blackish ; 

 rest of upper-throat and sides of head extending over eye to sides of 

 crown and sides of nape ash-grey ; black of upper-parts extending 

 forwards at base of neck and forming complete black collar, wide at 

 sides somewhat narrower in centre of throat, where it is tinged 

 grey ; rest of under-parts white but flanks and axillaries dark brown; 

 under wing-coverts hoary-brown ; tail and wing-feathers black, 

 inner webs of latter brown ; all wing-coverts black. The body- 

 plumage and lesser and median wing-coverts are moulted Aug.- 

 Sept but not wing and tail-feathers. Summer. — Very few in moult 

 examined but one was undergoing a complete moult in Feb., all 

 primaries, secondaries, primary-coverts and greater coverts and tail- 

 feathers growing together. Like winter but lores and round eyes 

 ash-grey as rest of sides of head which are rather paler than in 

 winter ; point of fore-head ashy. 



Nestling. — Closely covered with long, soft down with silky 

 hair-like tips. Centre of under-parts white otherwise all uniform 

 brown varying from blackish to buffish-brown, bases of down 

 tinged grey. This down is replaced by juvenile feathers but some 

 shorter and greyer down is replaced by under-down. 



Juvenile. — Sides of head duller ash-grey, lores rather blacker 

 and collar rather browner but otherwise like adult winter except 



