THE MARBLED MURRELET. 



[Brachyramphus marmoratus.) 



This little bird belongs to the family of 

 auks and puffins, the guillemots and the 

 dovekie. It is the sea bird family 

 (Alcidae) for all the species are 

 maritime, spending most of their time on 

 the ocean. Nearly all the species fre- 

 quent the Pacific coast of North America. 

 A few are, however, found on the Atlan- 

 tic coast. They seem to frequent the 

 wildest and most rocky shores and gen- 

 erally congregate in large colonies which 

 may include several species. Their struc- 

 ture unfits them for locomotion on the 

 land where they move in an uncouth and 

 awkward manner, but they are agile and 

 quick swimmers and expert divers. It is 

 said that they will remain under water for 

 several minutes, swimming for long dis- 



tances. They use their wings in diving. 

 The Marbled Murrelet inhabits the coast 

 of the Pacific ocean from San Diego, Cal- 

 ifornia, northward, breeding only in the 

 northern part of its range. These birds 

 are seldom found at any great distance 

 inland. It is said that their nests, like 

 those of the petrels, are built in holes in 

 banks or in burrows in the ground. They 

 have also been known to lay their eggs 

 in the open crevices of cliffs where but 

 little effort is made to build a nest other 

 than the gathering together of a few 

 sticks and twigs. 



The ovate eggs are of a buffy color and 

 are marked with varying shades of 

 brown. 



BEFORE THE STORM. 



A whir and sweep of snow-white wings, 



Soft brown-flecked breasts, now here, now there 

 A-sway upon the ragged weeds 



Or darting through the wintry air. 

 I watch you from the frosted pane 



Beside the glowing hearth-stone warm, 

 And shudder as I hear the wail 



Of angry winds before the storm. 



— Mary Morrison. 



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