244 A L 
ALCA, or Auk, in ornithology, a genus of the order 
of anferes. The beak of this genus is without teeth, fhort, 
convex, comprefled, and frequently furrowed tranfverfe- 
ly: the inferior mandible is gibbous near the bafe ; the 
feet have generally three tees. The fpecies of the alca 
are twelve ; of which the mod remarkable are, 
1. The inipcnnis, northern penguin, or great auk, with 
a compreifed bill furrowed on each fide, and an oval fpot 
on each fide of the eyes. According to Mr. Martin, this 
bird fometiines breeds on the ille of St. Kilda, in Scot¬ 
land. It lays one egg, which is lix inches long, of a white 
colour; fome are irregularly marked with purplilh lines 
eroding each other, others blotched with black, and fer¬ 
ruginous about the thicker end: if the egg is taken away, 
it will not lay another that feafon. It lays its egg clofe to 
the fea-tnark, being incapable, by reafon of the (hortnefs 
of its wings, to mount higher. The length of this bird, 
to the end of its toes, is three feet: but its wings are fo 
final!, as to be ufelefs for flight; the length, from the 
tip of the longeft quill-feathers to the firfh joint, being 
only four inches and a quarter. This bird is obferved by 
feamen never to wander beyond foundings ; and accord¬ 
ing to its appearance they direift their meafures, being then 
allured that land is not very remote. It fometimes fre¬ 
quents Norway, the Ferroe Hies, Iceland, Greenland, 
and Newfoundland; and feeds much on the lump-fifh, 
father-lalher, and other filh of that flze. The young 
birds eat rofe-root, and other plants. The old ones are 
very rarely feen on-fhore, though the young ones are not 
unfrequently met with. It is a very fay bird. It walks 
ill; but dives well, and is taken in the manner ufed for 
the razor-bill and puffin. The fkin between the jaws is 
blown into a bladder, and ufed for the darts of the Green¬ 
landers, as is alfo that of fome other birds. The fkin of 
the body is fuppofed to to be ufed by the Efquimaux In¬ 
dians for ga'rments. 
2. The alle, little auk, or black and white diver, with 
a fmooth conical bill, a white ftreak on the belly and 
wings, and black feet. The bulk of this fpecies exceeds 
not that of a blackbird. It is not very common in Bri¬ 
tain, being only met with now and then. It feems to be 
moft plentiful towards the north, being met with in vari¬ 
ous parts as far as Spitzbergen. It is common in Green¬ 
land, in company with the black-billed fpecie"s; feeds-on 
the fame food; and lays two bluifh white eggs, larger 
than thofe of a pigeon. It flies quick, and dives well; 
and is always dipping its bill into the water while fwim- 
ming or at reft on the water. It grows fat in the ftormy 
feafon, from the waves bringing plenty of crabs and fmall 
fifh within its reach ; but from its fize it is lefs fought af¬ 
ter than the others. In Greenland it is called the ice-bird , 
being the harbinger of ice. This fpecies is fometimes 
feen of a pure white. j,* 
3. The arclica, or puffin, with'a comprefled bill and 
four furrows ; the orbit of the eyes andtemples-'are white. 
The legs of this fpecies are very fmall; and placed fo far 
behind as to difqualify it from Handing except quite eredt, 
refting not only on the foot, but the whole length of the 
Ie°’. This circumftance makes the rife of the puffin from 
the ground very difficult, and it meets with many falls 
before it gets on wing; but, when that is effected,’ few 
birds fly longer or ftronger. Thcfe birds frequent the 
ebafts of feveral parts of Great-Britain and Ireland ; but 
no place in greater numbers than Pmftholm-ifle, where 
their fjoc'ks may be compared to fwarms of bees for mul¬ 
titude'. Thefe are birds of paffage ; they refort there an¬ 
nually about the fifth or tenth of April, quit the place 
(almoft to a bird), and return twice or thrice before they 
fettle to burrow and prepare for ovation and incubation. 
They begin to burrow the firft week in May; but fome 
few fave themfel-ves that trouble, and diflodge the rab¬ 
bits from their holes, taking poft'effion of them till their 
departure from the ifte. Thofe which form their own 
burrows, are at that time fo intent on the work as to fuf 
fer themfelves to be taken by the hand. This talk falls 
C A. 
chiefly to the ftfare of the males; who alfo affift in’ incu¬ 
bation. The firft young are hatched the beginning of 
July. The old ones (hew vaft affection towards them ; 
and feem totally infenlible of danger in the breeding fea¬ 
fon. If a parent is taken at that time, and fufpended by 
the wings, it will in a fort of defpair treat itfelf molt cruel¬ 
ly, by biting every part it can reach; and the moment it 
is loofed, will never offer to efcape, but inftantly refort to 
its unfledged young: this affection ceafes at the. Itated 
time of migration, which is 1110ft punctually about the 
11 th of Auguft, when they leave fuch young Bo cannot fiy 
to the mercy of the peregrine falcon, who watches 
the mouth of the houfes for the appearance of the little 
defected puffins, which, forced by hunger, are compel¬ 
led to leave their burrows. They lay only one egg. The 
eggs differ much in form : fome have one end very acute; 
others have both extremely obtufe; all are white. Their 
flefti is exceflivcly rank, as they feed on fea-weeds and 
filh, efpeciaily fprats : but, when .pickled and preferred 
with fpices, are admired by thofe who love high eating. 
Dr. Caius tells-its, that in his days the church allowed 
them in Lent inftead of filh. Thefe birds are common in 
Ireland; on the ifland Sherries, three leagues N. N.W. 
of Holynead; and in the S. Stack, near Holyhead, they 
breed in plenty. They inhabit Iceland and Greenland ; 
and breed in the extreme parts of the illands. It is alfo 
found in the Ferroe illes, where it is called lunda ; and in 
the Farn illes, where it is called coutterneb, from the (hape 
of file bill. It goes alfo by various other names ; fuch as 
guldcn-kead , bottle-nofc, and helegug, in Wales; at Scar¬ 
borough, mullet ; and in Cornwall, pope. In America they 
arc faid to frequent Carolina in winter; and have been 
met with in Sandwich Sound by our late voyagers. 
4. The torda, or razor-bill, with four furrows on the 
bill, and a white line on each fide running from the bill 
to the eyes. There birds, in company with the guille¬ 
mot, appear in our feas the beginning of February ; but 
do not fettle on their breeding places till they begin to 
lay, about the beginning of May. They inhabit theledges 
of the higheft rocks that impend over the fea, where they 
form a grotefque appearance; fitting clofe together, and 
in rows one above another. They properly lay but one 
egg apiece, of an extraordinary fize for the bulk of the 
bird, being three inches long: it is either white, or of a 
pale fea-green, irregularly fpotted with black : if this egg 
is deftroyed, both the auk and the guillemot will lay ano¬ 
ther; if that is taken, then a third : .hey make no neft, 
depoliting their egg on the bare rock; and, though fuch 
multitudes .lay contiguous, by a wonderful inftinct each 
diftinguiflies its own. What is alfo matter of great amaze¬ 
ment, they fix their egg on the fmooth rock with fo exa£l 
a balance, as to fecure it from rolling off'; yet, fliould it 
be removed, and then attempted to be replaced by the 
human hand, it is extremely difficult, if not impoflible, to 
find its former equilibrium. According to Mr. Latham, 
it is by means of a cement that the bird fixes its egg. The 
eggs are food to the inhabitants of the coaft they frequent, 
which they get with great hazard, being lowered from 
above by ropes, trufting to the ftrength of theii compa¬ 
nions, whofe footing is often fo unftable that they are 
forced down the precipice, and perilh together. Thefe 
birds are found in the north of Europe, alfo in Iceland, 
Greenland, and on the coaft of Labrador. In Europe 
they extend along the White Sea into the Arctic Afiatic 
fhores, and from thence to Kanitfchatka and thegulph of 
Ochotka: It is the only one which reaches the inland Bal¬ 
tic ; being found there on the Carls-Ozar ifles, near Goth¬ 
land, and the ifte of Bondon oft’ Angermania. 
5. The pica, or black-billed auk, has the bill of the 
fame form with the torda, but is entirely black. The 
cheeks, chin, and throat, are white : in all other refpe£ts 
it agrees with the former fpecies. Mr. Latham is of opi¬ 
nion that it is no other than the young of that fpecies. Mr. 
Pennant obfervesj that it is fometimes ’ found on our 
coafts; but, according to Mr. Latham ; it is in the win¬ 
ter * 
