Order  VIII.  AJNTSERES. 
The  third  Family, 
ALCIDJE,  or  Auks, 
the  Bill  more  or  less  long,  generally  compressed  on  the  sides ; and  the  culmen  usually  curved  to 
th  sometimes  hooked : the  Wings  generally  short,  and  more  or  less  imperfectly  formed : 
Tail  short  and  graduated : the  Tarsi  usually  short  and  compressed : the  Toes  entirely  webbed,  with 
® hind  toe  small  or  wanting. 
The  first  Subfamily, 
ALCINiE,  or  Auks, 
th  • or  less  short,  and  much  compressed  on  the  sides,  with  the  culmen  and  gonys  keeled ; 
T the  upper  mandible  acute  and  hooked  ; the  Nostrils  linear ; the  Wings  more  or  less  long  and 
Corn  Tarmed,  with  the  first  quill  the  longest : the  Tail  short  and  graduated : the  Tarsi  short  and 
P^’essed ; the  Toes  entirely  webbed,  with  the  hind  toe  wanting. 
Alca  Linn.* 
^^^gthened,  basal  half  clothed  with  short  plumes,  and  the  apical  half  horny,  much  compressed ; 
the  culmen  keeled,  curved,  and  hooked  at  the  tip,  that  of  the  lower  mandible  curved  downwards  • 
^nd  |]  ’ 
le  gonys  angulated  and  ascending;  both  mandibles,  laterally,  obliquely  grooved;  the  nostrils 
^H(l  ' lateral  margin,  and  almost  covered  with  the  basal  short  plumes,  with  the  opening  linear 
narrow.  Wings  more  or  less  long  and  pointed,  with  the  first  quill  the  longest.  Tail  short 
jQe  Tarsi  much  shorter  than  the  middle  toe,  robust,  and  covered  with  small  scales, 
and  webbed,  Avith  the  outer  toe  longer  than  the  inner  one ; the  claws  short,  curved,  acute, 
®l'ghtly  dilated  on  the  margin. 
The  ST) 
found  in  the  northern  latitudes,  frequenting  at  eertain  seasons  the  more  temperate  parts  of  Europe, 
of  ^ ®°™®^luies  notieed  on  the  rocks,  in  the  deep  clefts  of  which  the  female  deposits  a single  egg,  without  any 
uest.  They  live  chiefly  on  the  water,  where  they  arc  very  expert,  swimming  and  diving  with  great  rapidity. 
this  genus  in  174 
«a</ouin  of  Cuvier  (1799 — 1800 
Chenalopex  of  Moehring  (1752),  Pinguinus  of  Bonnaterre  (1790),  Dioniedea  of  Scopoli 
and  Utaniania  of  Leach  (1816)  are  synonymous. 
