ZOOLOGY-BIRDS. 
75 
MORMON CIRRHATUS, Lath.—Tufted Puffin. 
Mormon cirrhatas, Aud. B. of A. Oct. vol. VII, p. 234, pi. 462.— Nutt. Orn. vol. II, p. 539. 
Alca cirrhata, Latham’s Birds, vol. X, p. 57, pi. 170. 
This curious, odd-looking, and interesting species was observed on the Farrallones, and 
known by the inhabitants as the sea parrot. A deep cleft or crevice in the rock is chosen by 
them for the purposes of incubation, and a single dirty white egg, sometimes faintly dashed 
with brown, is laid on the bare ground at the innermost extremity of the cavity. To procure 
the eggs I was obliged to wrap my hand in a stout handkerchief, having several times ascer¬ 
tained by experience that a severe and cutting wound was the result of a bite from their knife¬ 
like and powerful bill. 
PTYCHORHAMPIIUS ALEUTICUS, Pallas. 
Mergulus cassinii, Gambll, Proc. Acad. N. Sc. Phil. vol. II, p. 266. (1845.) 
Ptychoihamphus aleuticus, Cassin, in Baird’s Gen. Rep. IX, 910. 
In 1851 while enveloped in a dense fog some twenty miles off the bay of San Francisco, the 
captain of our ship, alarmed at the sound of breakers, lowered a boat to ascertain our where¬ 
abouts. Invited to join him, I took my gun and soon observed this small murre which occasionally 
shot by on its way to the Farrallones. Approaching within a few yards of the rock hound 
shores, its high peaks were seen covered with cormorants, gulls and other varieties of sea fowl. 
Our bearings taken, we returned to the ship, and on our way I shot a single specimen of this 
bird. The stomach I found, on dissection, to be filled with small fish and minute marine insects. 
They abound on these islands during the winter but on my return in spring they had already 
left to pass their summer in more northern climes. 
CERORHINA OCCIDENTALIS, B onap .-Horn-Billed Auk. 
Cerorliinca occidentalis, Nutt. Orn. vol. II, p. 538. 
Ceratorldna occidentalis, Aud. B. of A. Fol. pi. 402, fig. 5. 
Uria occidentalis , Aud. Oct. vol. VII, p. 364, pi. 471. 
In the month of June on the Farrallones, while watching under the lee of a rock to shoot the 
sea lion, (a large species of seal,) which towards dusk leaves the ocean to crawl up on the shores, 
I first saw this singular bird pass by me with a small fish in its mouth and plunge suddenly as if 
into the ground. This aroused my attention as all other birds had retired to rest, save here and 
there a restless gull. On examining the ground next morning I found burrows leading under 
the rocks in which they lie concealed during the day, having never met them in my rambles 
which extended in all directions over the island and at all hours. By watching, however, several 
nights, I procured a few specimens. In these holes they had jmung, a single one being in each 
nest. I procured, during the winter, a young plumaged bird off the island of Santa Marguerita, 
on the coast of Lower California. 
URIA BRUNNICHII, Sabine .—Large-Billed Guillemot. 
Uiia brunnicliii, Aud. B. of A. Oct. vol. VII, p. 265, pi. 472. —Rich. & Sw. F. Bor. Am. vol. IT, p. 477. 
Uria brunnichii, Nutt. Orn. vol. II, p, 529.— Gould, B. of Eur. vol. V, pi. 398. 
Uria ringvia, Cassin, in Baird’s Gen. Rep. IX, 914. 
This bird is abundant on the sea coast, the Farrallones being one of its favorite breeding 
resorts. The traffic in their eggs from this place to San Francisco and inland reaches the value 
