342 
ALCIN.E. MORMON. 
GENUS I. MORMON, Tlliger. PUFFIN. 
Bill about the length of the head, nearly as high as long, 
exceedingly compressed, at the base as high as the head, 
obliquely furrowed on the sides ; upper mandible with a 
horny dotted rim along the basal margin ; its dorsal line 
decurved from the base, the ridge narrow, at the base 
rounded, the sides rapidly sloped, with three or four curved 
oblique grooves, the edges sharp, their outline nearly 
straight, the tip deflected, very narrow, but obtuse ; lower 
mandible with the angle very narrow, and so placed, that 
the base of the bill is inflected beyond the perpendicular, 
the dorsal line a little convex at first, towards the end as- 
cending, and nearly straight, the sides perpendicular, the 
edges sharp ; the tip very narrow, obliquely truncate ; gape- 
line extending downwards a little beyond the base of the 
bill, and furnished with a soft corrugated extensile mem- 
brane. Nostrils marginal, linear, direct, in the horny part 
of the bill. Head large, roundish-ovate ; neck short and 
thick ; body full and rounded. Feet short, rather stout, 
placed far behind ; tibia bare for a short space ; tarsus very 
short, little compressed, anteriorly with a series of small 
scutella ; toes three, connected by entire webs, the outer 
and middle toes nearly equal. Claws strong, of moderate 
length, arched, acute, that of the inner toe much curved. 
Plumage clofee, blended, soft. Wings short, narrow, curved, 
acute ; the first quill longest ; secondaries short and round- 
ed. Tail very short, slightly rounded, of sixteen feathers. 
470. 1. Mormon cirrhatus. Lath. Tufted Puffin. 
Plate CCXLIX. Male. 
Bill with four curved grooves on the upper mandible anterior to the 
nostrils, the lower smooth, a horny subcylindrical addition to the 
ridge at the base about an inch in length, the colour yellowish-red, 
the basal rim and ridge towards the end of the upper mandible bright 
red; feet bright red ; two tufts of loose, acuminate, decurved feathers 
