THE TUFTED PUFFIN 
117 
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 close, blended, 
soft. Wings short, narrow, curved, acute ; the first quill longest ; seconda- 
ries short and rounded. Tail very short, slightly rounded, of sixteen feathers. 
THE TUFTED PUFFIN. 
Mormon cirrhatus, Lath . 
PLATE CCCCLXII. — Male. 
The specimen from which I drew the figure of this singular looking bird, 
was procured at the mouth .of the Kennebec river in Maine. It was shot 
by a fisherman-gunner, while standing on some floating ice, in the winter of 
1831-32. No other individual was seen. I could not obtain any informa- 
tion respecting its habits ; but as the bird was in tolerable order, I hope that 
my figures of it will prove not unacceptable. It was a male, and appeared 
to be adult. My friend the Prince of Musignano, mentions this species as 
being an inhabitant of the seas between North America and Kamtschatka, 
being, he adds, often found on the western coasts of the United States in 
winter. 
Alca cirrhata, Lath. Ind. Orn., vol. ii. p. *791. 
Mormon cirrhatus, Bonap. Syn., p. 429. 
Tufted Mormon or Puffin, Nutt. Man., vol. ii. p. 539. 
Tufted Puffin, Mormon Cirrhatus , Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. iii. p. 364. 
Male, 15, 22§. 
Extremely rare and accidental on the coast of the United States in winter. 
Common in the Arctic Seas, and on the north-west coast of America. 
Adult Male. 
Bill about the length of the head, nearly as high as long, extremely com- 
pressed, at the base as high as the head, furrowed on the sides. Upper man- 
dible with a horny rim along the basal margin, its dorsal line convex to the 
