The Horned Puffin 
properly exercised, is the inherent right of every American citizen, and 
should be safeguarded to our children for all time. The maintenance in 
full measure of these and other sea-fowl is so obvious an esthetic advan¬ 
tage to the race that no taint of commercialism ought to enter in, at any 
point, upon our consideration of them. 
No. 299 
Horned Puffin 
A. O. U. Xo. 14 . Fratercula corniculata (Xaumann). 
Description. — Adult in breeding plumage: Roughly, black-and-white. Crown, 
narrowing on forehead, clear hair-brown; sides of head, broadly, white, shading to 
brownish gray on sides of lower jaw and in post-ocular furrow; remaining upperparts 
and connected collar, passing forward to chin, glossy bluish black to sooty black; 
lining of wings smoky brown; a few dark feathers on flanks; remaining underparts pure 
white. Bill exceedingly compressed, one-fourth as wide as high at base of nostril; 
crossed near tip by two crescentic grooves convex forward; toothed on both mandibles, 
and bright vermilion throughout; rosette at angle of mouth bright orange; edges of eye¬ 
lids red; fleshy excrescences proceeding from eyelid over and behind eye, the “horns,” 
dull blue; irides brown; feet orange-red with duller soles. Adult in winter: Size of bill 
greatly reduced by shedding of seven horny plates; eye processes wanting; eyelids and 
rosettes paler; feet yellow. Length of adult 355.6-406.4 (14.00-16.00); wing 190.5- 
209.55 (7.50-8.25); tail 70 (2.756); bill (chord of culmen) 53 (2.09); maximum depth 44 
(1.73); tarsus 31 (1.22). 
Recognition Marks. —Crow size; black above, white below, with white face; 
head pattern distinctive even in winter, when remarkable bill is greatly reduced. 
Nesting. — Does not breed in California. Egg: Single, ovate; dull white, often 
very faintly and finely marked with pale violet-gray and dull olive. Indistinguishable 
in size from those of Lunda cirrhata. Season: June—July 10. 
General Range. —Coasts and islands of Bering Sea and contiguous portions of 
the Arctic and north Pacific Oceans; breeding from Cape Lisburne, Alaska, and Koliut- 
schin Bay, Siberia, south to the Commander Islands, and east along the Aleutians to 
Glacier Bay, Alaska, and south, sparingly, to Forrester Island. In winter south to 
Kuril Islands and Queen Charlotte Islands; less frequently to coast of California. 
Occurrence in California. —Of rare occurrence on the coast, at least as far 
south as Monterey. Probably fairly common on the open ocean. 
Authorities.—Bishop ( Fratercula corniculata ), Condor, vol. xvi., 1914. p. 204 
(Pacific Grove, Feb. 17, 1914, 1 spec.); Bent, U. S. X'at. Mus., Bull. no. 107, 1919, p. 97 
(life hist.; desc. nest and eggs). 
