425 
of the United States . 
Feed on small Crustacea, which they collect under their 
tongue. Breed socially : eggs but one, bluish-white. Flight 
rapid, long sustained : travel as much in the air as in the 
water : walk better than the other species. 
Form the passage to the genus Phaleris, by Phaleris cris- 
tatella. 
375. Uria alle, Temm. Black, beneath and tips of the 
secondaries white, under the wings black ; bill and feet black ; 
bill very short, half as long as the head, a little curved. 
Summer plumage, whole head black. 
Little Auk , Alca alle , Wils . Am. Orn. ix. p. 94 . pi, 74. 
fig. 5. Buff. pi. enl. 917. winter dress. Uria minor , Briss. 
Mergulus alle. Vieill. Gal. des Ois . 295. adult. 
Inhabits the north of both continents, migrating in winter 
to the coasts of the United States and Europe. 
86. PHALERIS. 
Alca f L. Gm . Lath. Vieill . Mormon , Fratercula, Cuv. 
Phaleris , Temm. Ranz . 
Bill shorter than the head, dilated on the margins, almost 
quadrangular, notched near the tip ; upper mandible depres- 
sed on the sides, convex above ; curved at the point ; lower 
somewhat compressed, angular beneath, truncated at tip : 
nostrils medial, marginal, linear, pervious, half closed by a 
naked membrane : tongue thick, entire. Head small, capis- 
trum advancing but little on the base of the bill : eyes small : 
neck short, stout, body massive. Feet placed very far 
back : tibiae almost entirely drawn up into the belly ; tarsus 
shorter than the middle toe, slender, compressed, sharply 
carinated on both sides ; toes long, very slender, middle toe 
longest ; inner shortest : webs full, entire : nails much in- 
curved, very acute ; middle one longer, dilated internally. 
Wings short, acute ; first primary longest. Tail of fourteen 
feathers, of which the middle and outer are shortest. 
