816 
SYSTEMATIC SYNOPSIS —PYGOPODES 
346. LOM'VIA. (N. European name of birds of this kind.) Murres. Guillemots. Egg- 
birds. Bill shorter than head, longer than tarsus, straight or slightly decurved, much com- 
pressed ; culmen regularly curv-ed throughout ; rictus curved in most of its length ; gonys 
straight, or little curved, nearly as long as culmen ; upper mandible grooved on the side near 
tip, its commissural edge greatly inflected. Nasal fossae fuUy feathered. Feathers on lower 
Fig. 555. — Gathering Murre's eggs in Alaska. (Designed by H. W. Elliott.) 
mandible retreating in straight oblique line from interramal space to rictus. Tail short, much 
rounded, contained over 3 times in length of wing. Tarsus compressed, much shorter than 
middle toe and claw ; outer claw not grooved on outer face. A furrow in plumage behind eye. 
Colors dark above, white below. Egg single, pictured, pyriform. 
Analysis of Species. 
Depth of bill opposite nostrils not more than \ the length of culmen. 
Bill comparatively slender, not dilated along edge of upper mandible at base, the culmen, commissure 
and gonys curved. Atlantic troile 874 
Bill stouter, somewhat dilated along edges of upper mandible at base, the culmen, rictus, and gonys 
nearly straight. Pacific califomica 875 
Depth of bill opposite nostrils more than ^ the length of culmen. 
Bill very stout, thick, deep, much dilated along edges of upper mandible at base ; culmen, commissure 
and gonys curved arra 876 
L. troile. (Nom. propr., of uncertain reference. Figs. 556, 557, 560.) Common Guillemot, or 
MuRRE. Adult in summer : Head and neck all around rich dark maroon brown, changing on 
upper parts into dark slaty-brown, nearly uniform, but most of the feathers of the back and rump 
with slightly lighter, more grayish-brown, edges. Secondaries naiTovvly but distinctly tipjied with 
white. Tinder parts from the throat pure white, the sides and flanks marked with dusky or slaty, 
the lining of the wings varied with white and dusky. Bill black ; mouth yellow ; eyes brown ; 
feet blackish. In some cases, not in most, a white " eye-glass," consisting of a rim around eye 
