Order  VIII.  AXSERES. 
Family  III.  Alcidje. 
The  second  Subfamily, 
PHALERIDINiE,  or  Starikis, 
have  the  Bill  short,  broad  at  the  base,  with  the  sides  gradually  compressed,  and  the  culmen  curved  to  the 
tip,  which  is  emarginated ;  the  lower  mandible  grooved  on  the  sides,  and  the  gonys  ascending ;  the 
Nostrils  lateral,  and  pierced  in  the  bony  covering  of  the  broad  nasal  groove,  with  the  opening  linear : 
the  Wings  moderate  and  pointed  :  the  Tail  short  and  rounded :  the  Tarsi  short,  compressed,  and 
covered  with  small  scales :  the  Toes  three,  and  all  united  together  by  an  entire  membrane :  the  Claws 
moderate,  compressed,  and  acute. 
Phaleris  Temm* 
Bill  shorter  than  the  head,  broad  at  the  base,  and  slightly  depressed,  with  the  culmen  curved,  and  the 
sides  gradually  compressed  to  the  tip,  which  is  emarginated  ;  the  base  of  the  lateral  margins  infiexed ; 
the  gonys  keeled  and  curved  upwards  to  the  tip,  and  the  sides  more  or  less  grooved ;  the  nostrils  lateral, 
placed  in  a  broad  groove,  and  enclosed  by  a  hard  covering,  with  the  opening  linear  and  exposed. 
Wings  rather  short  and  pointed,  with  the  first  quill  the  longest.  Tail  short  and  rounded.  Tarsi  shorter 
than  the  middle  toe,  compressed,  and  covered  with  small  regular  scales.  Toes  long,  and  the  anterior 
ones  united  together  by  an  entire  web ;  the  inner  toe  shorter  than  the  outer ;  the  claws  moderate, 
compressed,  and  curved. 
The  species  are  found  in  the  Arctic  regions,  and  especially  in  the  islands  that  lie  between  China  and  North  America. 
They  live  in  small  flocks,  swimming  with  ease  and  dexterity  while  in  quest  of  their  food,  which  consists  of  Crustacea, 
mollusca,  and  other  marine  animals ;  as  the  night  approaches  they  seek  the  shore,  where  under  the  ledges  of  the  rocks, 
or  in  burrows  dug  with  their  bill  and  feet,  they  retire  to  rest ;  and  it  is  in  such  places  that  the  female  usually  deposits  a 
single  egg. 
1.  P.  psittacula  (Pall.)  Spic.  Zool.  t.  2.  and  t.  5.  f.  4.,  Zoogr. 
t.  84.,  Esch.  Zool.  Atlas,  t.  17.  —  Type  of  Ombria  Esch.  (1829). 
2.  P.  tetracula  (Pall.)  Spic.  Zool.  t.  4.  and  t.  5.  f.  10.,  Zoogr. 
t.  88. 
3.  P.  pygmeea  (Gmel.)  —  Uria  pusilla  Pall.  Zoogr.  t.  90. 
4.  P.  nodirostra  Pr.  Bonap.  Geogr.  Comp.  List  Birds  of  Eur. 
and  N.  Amer.  p.  66.  —  Cerorhyncha  occidentalis  Vigors,  Audub. 
B.  of  Amer.  pi.  402.  f.  . ;  Phaleris  microceros  Brandt  ;  Ph.  cor- 
niculata  Esch.  ? 
5.  P.  cristatella  (Pall.)  Spic.  Zool.  t.  3.  and  t.  5.  f.  7;  Zoogr.  t. 
86.  —  Type  of  Tyloramphus  Brandt  (1837). 
6.  P.  camtschatica  (Lepech.)  Nova  Acta  Petrop.  xii.  t.  8.  — 
Mormon  superciliosum  Licht.  Cat.  Dupl.  Berl.  Mus.  p.  89- ;  Pha- 
leris cristatellus  Temm.  PI.  col.  200. ;  Uria  mystacea  Pall.  Zoogr. 
t.  89.,  Gal.  des  Ois.  t.  237.,  Audub.  B.  of  Amer.  pi.  402. 
7.  P.  dubia  (Pall.)  Zoogr.  t.  87. 
8.  P.  aleutica  (Pall.)  Zoogr.  ii.  p.  370.  —  Type  of  Ptychoram- 
phus  Brandt  (1837). 
*  Established  by  M.  Temminck  in  1820.  It  embraces  Ombria  of  Eschscholtz  (1829)  (with  which  Cyclorrhynchus  of  Dr.  Kaup,  1829, 
is  synonymous),  Ptychoramphus  and  Tyloraniphus  of  M.Brandt  (1837). 
