BRACHYRAMPHUS TEMMINCKII. 
TEMMIN CK’S AUK. 
URIA UNIZUSUME. Temm. Fauna Jap. Aves, p. 123. 
BRACHYRAMPHUS TEMMINCKIJ. Brandt. Bull. Acad. St. Petersb., vol. II. (1837), p. 346.— Casses. B. of N. Amer., p. 916. 
Many of the members of this genus, as well as those belonging to closely allied ones, are inhabitants of the North Pacific Ocean, and of 
the islands lying between our own coast and that of Asia. The various species resemble each other greatly in their modes of life, and also in 
the coloring of their plumage. The present bird is not only a native of America and Asia, but has also been found in Japan, from which country 
specimens were brought by the naturalist attached to the expedition of Commodore Perrt. Mr. Cassin, in his article on this species, published 
in his account of the birds collected by that expedition, gives the following note furnished him by Mr. Heine ; “ The officers engaged in the 
survey of the harbor of Simoda had frequently observed numbers of small birds swimming at some distance from the shore, but at the approach 
of the boats, the birds invariably dived and disappeared. On one occasion, when returning from Rock Island, the boat in which I was came 
suddenly upon a number of these little fellows, swimming and braving a rough sea in fine style; calling all the time with a chirping voice. Two 
specimens were secured, when all the others rpiickly disappeared. This bird is common in the harbor of Simoda.” 
Temminck's Auk is distinguished from other members of the genus, by having, when adult, a crest of cpiite long feathers rising from the 
fore part of the head near the base of the bill. 
Brandt has described three other species of this genus, coming respectively from the Aleutian Islands, Unalaschka, and Kamtschatka, but no 
specimen of these has ever reached this country. The B. Temmiuckii seems to be fond of frecpienting rocky cliffs near the sea, often congre- 
gating in considerable numbers, but the greater portion of its time is passed upon the water. 
In giving a name to this species I have followed Brandt, Cassin, et al, for, although Temminck’s appellation has precedence by the law of 
priority, vet it is so barbarous as to make it undesirable. 
The specimens of this bird which have been received at the Smithsonian Institution, captured within our limits, all came from Washington 
Territory. 
Head brownish black. Orest black. Wide stripe over each eye, uniting at the occiput, white. Entire upper parts light cinereous. Wings 
and tail brownish black. Under parts white. Bill light born color. Feet flesh color. Young, without crest ; throat browni ; flanks ashy. 
The figures are life-size. 
