FORTHE PEOPLE FOR EDVCATION FOR SCIENCE LIBRARY OF THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY If) a rid a k A liJanual of North American Birds by Robert Ridgway, J, B. Lippincott. Philadelphia. 1887. l6-\oo.o-:>(o. PREFACE. The object of the present volume is to furnish a convenient manual of North American Ornithology, reduced to the smallest com- pass, by the omission of everything that is not absolutely necessary for determining the character of any given specimen, and including, besides the correct nomenclature of each species, a statement of its natural habitat, and other concomitant data. Originally projected by Professor Spencer F. Baird, and based essentially upon the grand National cabinet of American birds which his energy, ability, and enthusiasm have developed from an unpre- tentious nucleus into a collection unrivalled in extent and wholly unique in scientific value, this work may be considered as, in a measure, Hhe consummation of a plan conceived by that illustrious naturalist, vv^hose works represent the highest tyj)e of systematic orni- thology, and have furnished the model from which the younger gen- eration of ornithologists have drawn their inspiration. Professor Baird's great responsibilities and engrossing duties as Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution and Director of the United States National Museum precluded the possibility of his completing the work which he had so long cherished, and had even begun, when called to the high positions which he has filled with so much advantage to science and honor to himself. Honored with the privilege of continuing the work commenced by abler hands, the author has endeavored to fulfil his trust with careful attention to the hope of its originator that the Manual of IV PREFACE. North American Birds may serve as a handy book for the spprtsn^ar. and traveller, as well as for the resident naturalist, and that all niajn find it a convenient and satisfactory means of identifying any North American bird in all its variations of plumage. ROBEET EIDGWAY. Depaktment of Birds, United States National Museum, April 11, 1887. Spencer JT. Bairti. Just as this book is about to be issued, information has been re- ceived of the death of Professor Baird, at "Wood's Holl, Massachusetts. It is unnecessary here to make more than passing reference to Professor Baird's eminence as an ornitliologist, — an eminence attained through the inherent excellence of his published works rather than their extent. His influence in the development of American ornithol- ogy has been greater than that of any other person, and no one else has commanded so fully the respect, admiration, and confidence due to his high attainments, the sterling qualities of his mind and heart, and the integrity of his character. Indeed, it may with truth be said that every naturalist of eminence in the United States owes much of his success to a personal acquaintance with Professor Baird, whose sound advice, ready sympathy, and uniform kindness are reverently and afiectionately remembered by all who are so fortunate as to have enjoyed the privilege of his acquaintance. Special reference has been made in the Preface and Introduction to Professor Baird's intimate connection with the " Manual of North American Birds," a work planned by him many years ago, but w^hich he was prevented, by engrossing public duties, from personally exe- cuting. In spite of physical sufiering and harassing cares, he retained, almost to the last moment, a lively interest in the work, which was completed but a short time previous to his death. R. E. Washington, August 20, 1887. CONTENTS. PAGE INTRODUCTION' vii KEY TO THE HIGHER GROUPS 1 Order Pygopodes — The Diving Birds 4 Family Podicipidse — The Grebes 4 " Urinatoridse — The Loons 6 " Alcidse — The Auks, Murres, etc 8 Order Longipennes — The Long-winged Swimmers 20 Family Stercorariidte — The Skuas and Jaegers 20 " Laridte— The Gulls and Terns 23 " Rynchopida3 — The Skimmers 48 Order Tubikares — The Tube-nosed Swimmers 50 Family Diomedeidas — The Albatrosses 50 " Procellariidse — The Fulmars and Shearwaters 53 Order Steganopodes — The Totipalmate Swimmers 73 Family Phsethontidaa— The Tropic Birds 73 " Sulidffi— The Gannets 74 " Anhingidse — The Darters 76 " Phalacrocoracidas— The Cormoi-ants 77 " Peleeanidte — The Pelicans 81 " Frcgatida3— The Man-o'-War Birds 82 Order Anseres — The Lamellirostral Swimmers 84 Family Anatidie — The Ducks, Geese, and Swans 84 Order Odontogloss.e — The Lamellirostral Waders 121 Family Phoenicopteridie — The Flamingoes 121 Order Herodiones — The Herons, Storks, Ibises, etc 122 Family Plataleidse— The Spoonbills 122 " Ibididffi— The Ibises 123 " Ciconiida? — The Storks and Wood Ibises 124 " Ardeidffi — The Herons and Bitterns 126 Order Paludicol^ — The Cranes, Rails, etc 134 Family Gruidffi — The Cranes 134 " Aramidffi — The Courlans 135 " Rallidts— The Rails, Gallinules, Coots, etc 136 Order Limicol^ — The Shore Birds 143 Family Phalaropodidse — The Phalaropes 143 " Recurvirostridag — The Avocets and Stilts 146 " ScolopacidaB — The Snipes, Sandpipers, etc 147 " Charadriidffi — The Plovers 172 " AphrizidaB — The Surf Birds and Turnstones 179 " Hffimatopodidje — The Oyster-catchers 181 " Jacanidse — The Jacanas 183 V Vi CONTENTS. PAOE Order Galling — The Gallinaceous Birds 184 Pamily Tetraonidte — The Grouse, Partridges, etc 184 " PhasianidiB — The Pheasants, Turkeys, etc 205 " CracidiB — The Curassows and Guans 207 Order CoLUMBiE — The Pigeons 210 Family Columbidse — The Pigeons 210 Order Kaptorks— The Birds of Prey 218 Family Catbartidas — The American Vultures 218 " Falconida3— The Falcons, Hawks, etc 222 " Strigidae— The Barn Owls 255 " Bubonida;— The Horned Owls, etc 255 Order Psittaci — The Parrots, Macaws, Paroquets, etc 268 Family Psittacidse — The Parrots, etc 268 Order Coccyges — The Cuckoos, etc 271 Family Cuculida3 — The Cuckoos 271 " Trogonidffi — The Trogons 275 " Momotidse — The Motmots 277 " Alcedinidffi— The Kingfishers .278 Order Pici — The Woodpeckers, Wrynecks, etc 280 Family Picida — The Woodpeckers 280 Order Macrochires — The Goatsuckers, Swifts, etc 297 Family Caprimulgidise — The Goatsuckers 297 " MicropodidiB— The Swifts 302 " Trochilid*— The Hummingbirds 303 Order Passeres — The Perching Birds 321 Family Cotingidaa— The Cotingas 323 " Tyrannid;e— The Tyrant Flycatchers 326 " Alaudidse— The Larks 346 " Corvidse — The Crows, Jays, Magpies, etc 350 " Sturnidse— The Starlings 364 " Icteridae— The Blackbirds, Orioles, etc 365 " Fringillidaj — The Finches, Sparrows, etc •. • • ^^2 " Tanagridffi— The Tanagers 453 " Hirundinida?— The Swallows 457 " Ampelidte — The Waxwings, etc 463 " Laniidffi— The Shrikes 465 " Yireonidae — The Vireos 468 " Coerebidfe — The Honey Creepers 479 " Mniotiltidie— The Wood AVarblers 480 " Motacillidre— The AVagtails 532 " Cinclid;e — The Dippers 538 " Troglodytid» — The Wrens, Thras^hers, etc 538 " Certhiidje— The Creepers 557 " Parida-— The Nuthatches and Tits 558 " Sylviidie — The Warblers, Kinglets, and Gnatcatchers 566 " Turdidaj— The Thrushes, Solitaires, Stonechats, Bluebirds, etc 571 Appendix 583 Index 595 INTRODUCTION. In Classification, ISTomenclature, and Numeration the present work corre- sponds strictly with the " Check List of North American Birds" published b}' the American Ornithologists' Union/ which represents the joint labors of a " Commit- tee on Classification and Nomenclature" appointed by the Union during its first Congress, held in New York City, September 26-29, 1883. During the year which has elapsed since the publication of the A. O. U. Check List several species have been added to the North American fauna, while others have been for the first time described. These are of course included in the present work, being interpolated in their proper places." At the same time, it has been considered desirable, in the interest of the student of North American Ornithol- ogy, to include, for reasons stated farther on,^ certain extralimital species from contiguous countries. All such additional species have, however, been carefully distinguished typographically, in order that no confusion may arise, the method of discrimination being as follows : (1) All species which are undoubtedly North American, even though of doubt- ful validity, are in larger type, those given in the A. O. U. Check List proper being numbered as in that list, while eighteen of the twentj^-six species composing the so-called " Hj-pothetical List,"* and also those subsequently added to the fauna, are preceded by a dash ( — ) instead of a number. (2) All species which have not been established as North American (the majoi-ity never having been claimed as such) are printed in smaller type, and have neither a number nor a dash. The Geographical Limits are also, so far as numbered species are concerned, those of the A. O. U. Check List ; but practically these limits have been enlarged so 1 The Code of Nomenclature | and ] Check List | of North American Birds | Adopted by the American Ornithologists' Union | Being the Report of the Committee of the Union on Classification and Nomenclature | (Motto) I I New York | American Ornithologists' Union | 1886 | [8vo.,pp. i-viii, 1-392.] 2 For lists of these additional species, see Appendix, pages 591-594. 3 See under " Geographical Limits." * " Consisting of species which have been recorded as North American, but whose status as North Ameri- can birds is doubtful, either from lack of positive evidence of their occurrence within the prescribed limits . . . or from absence of satisfactory proof of their validity as species." Of the twenty-six species constituting this list, eighteen are unquestionably North American (one of them having been recently established as such), while the remaining eight have very scant claims to a place in our fauna. vii yiii INTRODUCTION. as to include all the species known to inhabit Socorro Island, off the coast of north- western Mexico, which is decidedly Nearctic, or North American, in its zoological affinities, while in many cases other extralimital species have been included, for the sake of comparison and also on account of the greater or less probability of their occurrence within the southern boundary of the United States. In most cases this ignoring of geogi-aphical limits has been confined to the inclusion of only the Mexi- can,^ Cuban, and Bahaman species of charactei-istically North American genera, or of genei-a from the same regions belonging to North American Families, the Euro- pean analogues of certain North American species, and species of northeastern Asia which have been ascribed to Alaska, or which may from the close proximity of their habitat be expected to occur there. A notable departure from this general rule has, however, been made in the Order Tubinares, consisting wholly of species inhabiting the " high seas," whose more or less erratic or fortuitous wanderings render them specially liable to a place in the list of " accidental visitors" to any sea-girt country, for which reason it has been considered desirable, as an aid to future research, to include all known species belonging to genera of which repre- sentatives have been taken in North American waters. Material. — Although the unrivalled collection of American birds and their eggs forming part of the National Museum^ has furnished by far the greater por- tion of the material upon which this work is based, several other public museums, as well as rich private collections, have been carefully studied. Thus, the American Museum of Natural History, in New York City ; the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia ; the Boston Society of Natural History ; the Museum of Compara- tive Zoolog}^, in Cambridge, Mass. ; and the splendid private collections of Messrs. GeoT-ge N. Lawrence, of New York City, William Brewster, of Cambridge, Mass., and H. TV. Henshaw,' of Washington, D.C., have furnished indispensable material in the way of extralimital species or more extensive series of certain North Amer- ican species, for comparison, than had jet been secured by the National Museum. It is not, however, the large number of specimens alone that has furnished the sub- stantial basis of the following synoptical tables ; for, however much the proper dis- 1 Under the head of " Mexican" are included not only Mexico itself, but also Guatemala and Honduras, (See page vii, regarding typographical distinction between extralimital and North American species.) 2 The total number of specimens of American birds in the National Museum collection at the end of June, 1886, was about .36,000, exclusive of duplicates and mounted specimens ; the North American " study series" of Passeres and " Picarim" {i.e., Macrochirea, Pici, and Coccyges) alone aggregating nearly 13,000, counting only those obtained from North America proper, as defined in the A. 0. U. Check List. At the same time, the collec- tion of North American birds' eggs numbered 38,400 specimens, constituting by far the most extensive and valu- able one in existence. Even before the addition of the magnificent private collection so generously donated by Captain Charles E. Bendire, U.S.A., no other was comparable to it, either in the number of species represented or in their careful identification, it having from the commencement been made a rule to destroy all specimens regarding which there appeared the least doubt or suspicion. Captain Bendire's celebrated collection, while representing fewer species, included far more extensive series of a large number of species, showing extreme variations of size, contour, and coloration, all perfectly identified, while it was wholly unique in the exquisite preparation of the specimens, 3 Special mention should be made of Mr. Henshaw's valuable collection (embracing more than 7000 speci- mens and unusually complete series of many species), which through the owner's courtesy has been constantly accessible to the author. INTRODUCTION. ix crimination of species and subspecies may be a question of material, a great deal depends upon our knowledge of the birds in life, their natural sui'roundings, and other things which can be learned only out of doors. Fortunately, a very large number of accomplished field-naturalists have carefully observed the habits of our birds, and through their published records have together contributed a vast stoi'e of information which no single person could himself have gained. To the much that has been gleaned from this source have been added the author's field-notes, col- lected during the period extending from a recent date back to the year 1863, and embracing many measurements of fresh specimens, notes on location of nests, fresh colors of bill, eyes, feet, etc., and various other useful memoranda. Measurements are in English inches and hundredths, except when otherwise stated.^ Whenever practicable, they have been taken from large series of speci- mens, and the extremes given, as well as the average, which follows in parenthesis. Thus, 5.75-6.50 (6.12) would indicate the minimum, maximum, and average, re- spectively, of the measurements taken. In the case of closely-allied forms, or where distinctive characters are largely a matter of dimensions or the proportionate meas- urements of ditferent parts, care has been taken to measure, whenever possible, an equal number of specimens of the severa;! forms to be compared ; and specimens in abraded or otherwise imperfect plumage, as well as young birds, have been excluded. When there is any marked sexual difference in size, the number of males and females measured of allied forms has also been made as nearly equal as possible. Length is to be understood as meaning the total length (from end of bill to tip of tail) of the fresh specimen, before skinning, unless otherwise stated. This measurement is the least important of any for the purpose of determination of the species, being of any value at all only when taken from the fresh specimen, before skinning, and even then subject to much variation, according to the amount of stretching to which the bird is subjected. In a very large number of species the author's measurements from freshly-killed specimens are given, but in perhaps a majority of cases it has been necessary to take measurements made by others. Owing to the fact that all our leading authorities have been consulted on this point and only the extremes given, it has been found impracticable (even if desirable) to distinguish the latter from the former, but it may be remarked that nearly all of those in which the range of variation between the extremes is very great belong to the latter category. Length of wing is from the " bend," or carpal joint, to tip of longest primary, the rule being laid along the outer or convex side and the wing brought up close to it for its entire length. Length of tail is from tip of longest feathers to their apparent base, a point often very difiicult to determine, and subject to more or less variation according to the method of preparing the skin, the amount of shrinkage to which the flesh at the base of the tail has been subjected, etc. Length of culmen is the chord of the curve, measured with dividers, from the tip of the upper mandible to the extreme base of the culmen (this often more or less concealed by feathers of the forehead) — unless the qualif^'ing word " ex2:)0sed" is prefixed, in which case the measurement is similarly made to where the frontal feathers close 1 See foot-note on page x., as to conversion of inches and decimals into millimetres. X INTRODUCTION. over the base of the culmen. Depth of bill is also measured with dividers, and is a measurement requiring extreme care. Length of tarsus is measured with dividers, one point resting in the tibio-tarsal joint, on the outer side, the other on the lower edge of lowermost tarsal scutella, in front (in Passerine and certain Picarian and Eaptorial birds), or to the more or less obvious transverse depression mai'king the line of separation between tarsus and base of middle toe (in most water birds and some others). Length of middle toe is always measured with dividers from the last-mentioned point to the base of the claw, on top, and not including the claw, unless so stated. * Measurements of eggs represent the average of six specimens (more or less, ac- cording to the extent of the series available for the purpose) which represent or approximate the average size and form as nearly as could be determined by the eye alone. The names op colors used in the diagnoses are adopted from the author's " No- menclature of Colors," ^ in which may be found an elaborate though concise treatise on the subject, designed especially for the uses of the naturalist, and in which 186 colors, embracing all that are named in descriptive ornithology, are depicted, by hand-colored plates. Illustrations. — With the exception of those which have already appeared in the Review of American Birds^ History of North American Birds,^ and Water Birds of North America,*' the illustrations have been made specially for the present work by Mr. John L. Eidgway, under the author's supervision, and engraved by the cele- brated " Jewett" process of Messrs. Matthews, Northrupp & Co., of Buffalo, N.Y. Acknowledgments are specially due to Professor Baird, not only for the 1 A I Nomenclature of Colors \ for Naturalists, | and | Compendium of Useful Knowledge | for Ornitholo- gists. I By I Robert Ridgway, | Curator, Department of Birds, United States National Museum. | With ten colored plates and seven plates | of outline illustrations. | Boston : | Little, Brown, and Company. | 1887. | [In this work is also embodied a " Glossary of terms used in descriptive ornithology," in which references are given to all the plates. The latter include, besides those representing the colors, three showing the exter- nal anatomy or " topography" of a bird, with special reference to the names used in descriptions, one illus- trating various egg-contours, one showing a comparative scale of standard measurements, and two upon which are depicted the various forms or patterns of feather-markings. There is also, among other things useful to the naturalist, a series of tables for the easy conversion of inches and decimals into millimetres, and vice versa.l 2 Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections. | —181— | Review | of American Birds, in the Museum of the | Smithsonian Institution. | By | S. F. Baird. | —Part I. North and Middle America. | —[Medallion.] Wash- ington : I Smithsonian Institution. | One volume, Svo ; date of publication (by signatures), June, 1864, to June, 1866. » A I History | of | North American Birds | by | S. F. Baird, T. M. Brewer, and R. Ridgway | Land Birds I Illustrated by 64 colored plates and 593 woodcuts | Volume I [—III]. [Vignette.] | Boston | Little, Brown, and Company | 1874. | [This is the most recent work on North American ornithology, giving, besides technical descriptions, synonymy, etc., a general account of the history and habits of each species, as known up to date of publica- tion. The size is small 4to, and the total number of pages nearly 1800.] * Memoirs of the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard College, Vols. XII. and XIII. The Water Birds of North America. By S. F. Baird, T. M. Brewer, and R. Ridgway. Issued in continuation of the pub- lications of the California Geological Survey. J. D. Whitney, State Geologist. Boston. Little, Brown, and Company, 1884. [Two volumes, uniform in general style, typography, etc., with the " History of North American Birds," and in reality the conclusion of that work. Total number of pages 1104, embellished by numerous wood-cuts.] INTRODUCTION. xi privilege of consulting specimens and books so essential to the preparation of this work, but also for the friendly advice and valuable suggestions which have ren- dered comparatively easy the performance of a task which under less favorable auspices would have been far more difficult of accomplishment. For valuable aid, always most cordially rendered, the author is much indebted to Dr. Leonhard Stejneger, whose well-known thorough bibliographical knowledge and excellent judgment have greatly facilitated the settlement of many vexatious questions of synonymy and difficult problems of relationship. To the authorities of the several public museums and the owners of the private collections already mentioned, the author is glad to have this opportunity of publicly expressing his sense of obliga- tion for many courtesies, including, besides unrestricted access to the collections in question, the loan of valuable and unique type specimens. E. E. jNTorth American Birds. KEY TO THE HIGHER GROUPS. a\ Hind toe connected by web or membrane with the inner toe. Order Steganopodes. (Page 73.) a}. Hind toe not connected with inner toe. h^. Nostrils tubular Order Tubinares. (Page 50.) 61 Nostrils not tubular. c^. Cutting-edges of bill more or less distinctly fringed or serrated. d}. Legs short, or but slightly lengthened ; bill not abruptly bent downward from the middle Order Anseres. (Page 84.) d}. Legs excessively lengthened ; bill bent abruptly downward from the middle Order Odontoglossae. (Page 121.) c^ Cutting-edges of bill not fringed nor serrated. d}. Legs inserted far behind the middle of the body, which in standing position is more or less erect, the toes webbed or conspicuously lobed Order Pygopodes. (Page 4.) d^. Legs inserted near the middle of the body, which in standing posi- tion is nearly horizontal, or else toes not webbed, e'. Anterior toes distinctly webbed, and tai'sus shorter than tail. Order Longipennes. (Page 20.) e^. Anterior toes not distinctly webbed, or else tarsus decidedly longer than tail, or else bill extremely small, with gape very broad and deeply cleft. p. Lower portion of thighs naked, or else bill lengthened and grooved along each side, the outer and middle toes separated for their entire length. g^. Hind toe well developed and inserted at same level with anterior toes, the claws never excessively lengthened ; loral or orbital regions, or both (some- times whole head), naked. Order Herodiones. (Page 122.) 1 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. g^. Hind toe (if present) small and inserted above the level of the rest, or else size small or medium (never as much as 3 feet long) ; loral and orbital regions fully feathered, and middle claw with edge not pectinated. h}. If more than 3 feet long, the hind toe short and elevated ; if under 3 feet long, the hind toe on same level with anterior toes. Order Paludicolae. (Page 134.) h}. Never over 3 feet long (usually much less), the hind toe (if present) shoi't and elevated, or else the claws excessively lengthened and wings spurred. Order Lfimicolse. (Page 143.) /*. Lower portion of thighs feathered (or else middle and outer toes united for at least half their length), the bill if lengthened not grooved along the side. g^. Bill strongly hooked, with a distinct naked cere at base of upper mandible ; or if no naked cere, the toes 2 in front and 2 behind. h^. Toes 3 in front, or else outer toe reversible. Order Raptores. (Page 218.) /i^ Toes 2 in front, 2 behind (outer toe permanently reversed) Order Psittaci. (Page 268.) g*. Bill not strongly hooked, and without naked cere at base of upper mandible ; or if with a cere, the latter swollen and the bill straight. h}. Hind toe small and elevated, or else bill with- out soft swollen cere. Order Gallinse. (Page 184.) h"^. Hind toe (or toes) well developed and on same level with anterior toes. i^. Bill with soft swollen cere at base of upper mandible. Order Columbse. (Page 210.) I*. Bill without soft swollen cere. /. Wings very long, with 10 quills, tail of 10 feathers, and gape very wide and deeply cleft, or else bill long and slender, tongue extensile, and secondaries only 6 in number. Order Macrochires. (Page 297.) /. Wings not very long and gape not very wide nor deeply cleft, or else wing with only 9 quills and tail-feathers 12 in number. KEF TO THE HIGHER GROUPS. 6 k\ Toes only 2 in front, or if 3, the middle and outer toes con- nected for at least half their length. l\ Tail-feathers stiff and more or less pointed, and bill more or less chisel-like. Order Pici. (Page 280.) r. Tail-feathers neither stiff nor pointed, and bill not chisel- like. Order Coccyges. (Page 271.) k\ Toes 3 in front, 1 behind, the middle and outer toes not united for half their length, lower part of thighs feathered, and tarsus equal to or longer than lateral toes. Order Passeres. (Page 321.) NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. Order PYGOPODES.— The Diving Birds. (Page 1) Families. a^. Tail-feathers wanting. Anterior toes lobed, the nails very broad, flat, and with rounded tips. (Sub- order Podicipedes) Podicipidae. (Page 4.) rt*. Tail-feathers present, but short. (Suborder Cepphi.) b^. Hind toe present Urinatoridae. (Page 6.) b\ Hind toe absent Alcidae. (Page 8.) Family PODICIPIDAE.— The Grebes. (Page 4.) JVest a thick matted platform of rushes, sedges, etc., usually floating upon the surface of the water in grassy or sedgy ponds or marshes. Eggs 2-5, dull white, bluish white, or very pale bluish green, usually stained more or less (often quite deeply) with light brown, by contact with decomposed vegetable matter. Genera. a\ Bill slender, the length of the culmen much more than twice the depth at the base. b^. Length of culmen five or more times as much as greatest depth of the bill ; neck nearly as long as the body .ffichmophorus. (Page 4.) b^. Length of culmen less than four times as much as greatest depth of the bill ; neck much shorter than the body Colymbus. (Page 5.) a^. Bill very stout, the length of the culmen less than twice as much as the greatest depth of the bill Podilymbus. (Page 6.) Genus iECHMOPHORUS Coues. (Page 4, pi. I., fig. 1.) Species. Common Characters. — Pileum and cervix slaty black ; rest of upper parts slaty, inner webs of remiges chiefly white ; entire lower parts, including lower half of head and all of neck except stripe down the cervix, pure satiny white. Downy young : Above uniform brownish gray, lighter anteriorly ; lower parts uniform white. a\ Length 24.00-29.00 inches; wing 7.45-8.50 (average 8.07); culmen 2.60- 3.05 (2.78). Eggs 2-5, 2.40 X 1-54. Hah. Western North America (chicfl}^ the interior) from Mexico and Lower California to Manitoba. 1. .ffi. occidentalis (Lawr.). Western Grebe. a\ Length about 22.00 inches ; wing 6.70-7.75 (7.31) ; culmen 2.10-2.48 (2.25). Eggs 2-5, 2.16x1-41. Sab. "Western North America, chiefly along Pacific coast — .JE. clarkii (Laavr.). Clark's Grebe. COLYMBUS. Genus COLYMBUS Linn^us. (Page 4, pi. I., figs. 2, 3.) Species, o}. Wing 5.00 inches or more. b^. Bill about as long as the head. Wing more than 6.00 inches. (Subgenus Colymbus.') c^. Feathers of lower parts pure white to the extreme base. Nuptial plumage : Throat and chin buffy white, passing posteriorly into rich ferruginous on the very prominent auricular frill, which is tipped with black ; top of head and elongated tufts on each side of occiput glossy black. • Length 22.00-24.00 ; wing 6.80-7.75 ; culmen 1.75- 2.30. Sab. jSTearly cosmopolitan, but no authentic record for any portion of America. C. cristatus Linn. Crested Grebe.^ c^ Feathers of lower parts white only superficially, the concealed portion being distinctly grayish. Nuptial plumage : Top of head dull black, somewhat glossy ; rest of head ash-gray, bordered above and poste- riorly by whitish ; neck rufous. dK Length about 17.50 ; wing 6.45-7.00 (6.63) ; culmen 1.50-1.55 (1.53). Mab. Northern portions of eastern hemisphere. C. grisegena Bodd. Red-necked Grebe.* d\ Length 18.00-20.50; wing 7.30-8.10 (7.65) ; culmen 1.65-2.40 (2.02). Eggs 2-5, 2.23 X 1-37. Hab. North America, including Green- land, breeding far northward ; eastern Asia. 2. C. holboellii (Eeinh.). Holbcell's Grebe. b'^. Bill much shorter than head. Wing not more than 6.00 inches. (Subgenus Dyfes Kaup.) c'. Bill compressed (deeper than wide) at base. Nuptial plumage : Lower neck and chest rufous ; sides of occiput with a very full dense tuft of soft, blended, ochraceous feathers. Downy young : Whole top of head dusky; sides of head whitish with two stripes and several irregular spots of duskj^ ; a dusky streak on each side of throat ; upper parts plain dusky grayish. Length 12.50-15.25 ; wing about 5.75. Eggs 2-7, 1.78 X 1-20. Hab. Northern portion of northern hemisphere, breeding in America chiefly north of the United States 3. C. auritus Linn. Horned Grebe. &. Bill depressed (wider than deep) at base. Nuptial plumage : Head, neck, and chest black ; sides of head, behind eyes, with a tuft-like or somewhat fan-shaped loose patch of slender ochraceous feathers. Downy young : Top of head dusky, with several white markings, the middle of the crown with a small naked, reddish space ; no dusky 1 Colymbus cristatus LiNN., S.N. ed. 10, 1758, II'.S. 2 Colymhus grisegena BoDD., Tabl. P. E, 1783, 55. NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. streak on side of throat, or elsewhere below level of eyes. Length 12.00-14.00 ; wing 5.20-5.50. d}. Three or four inner quills mostly or entirely white. Hah. Central Europe and Asia. C. nigricoUis (Brehm). Eared Grebe.^ d?. Inner quills with inner webs wholly duskj^ Colors generally duller and bill more slender. Eggs 4-8, 1.75 X 1-19- Hah. Western North America, north to Great Slave Lake, south to Guatemala, east to Mississippi Valley. 4. C. nigricoUis californicus (IIeerm.). American Eared Grebe. "Wing less than 5.00 inches. (Subgenus Podiceps Lath.) Tarsus decidedly shorter than middle toe without claw. Nuptial plumage: Top of head dull gi^eenish black; rest of head dark gray or dull plum- beous, the chin and throat dull black. Downy young : Top of head black, with a rufous spot in middle of crown, and various white markings ; sides and underparts of head and neck white varied with black lines. Length 9.00-10.50 ; wing 4.00. Eggs 1.35 X -94. Hah. Tropical America in general, north to southern Texas and Lower California. 5. C. dominicus Linn. St. Domingo Grebe. Genus PODILYMBUS Lesson. (Page 4, pi. I., fig. 5.) ' Species. Erownish above, silvery white beneath, the feathers dark grayish basally. Nuptial plumage : Chin, throat, and anterior portion of malar region black; rest of head and neck brownish gray, darker above ; lower parts spotted with dusky ; bill whitish, crossed about the middle by a black band. Winter plumage : Black throat, etc., of nuptial plumage replaced by dull whitish, the rest of the head browner ; lower parts without dusky spots ; bill brownish (paler on lower man- dible) without black band. Young : Similar to winter adult, but sides of head more or less distinctly striped with brown. Downy young : Head and neck distinctly striped with white and black, the crown with a rufous spot ; a rufous spot on upper part of nape and on each side of occiput ; upper parts blackish, marked with four strips of grayish white. Length 12.00-15.00 ; wing 4.50-5.00. Eggs 4-5, 1.72 X 1.99. Hah. The whole of America, except extreme northern and southern districts. 6. P. podiceps (Linn.). Pied-billed Grebe. Family URINATORIDi©.— The Loons. (Page 4.) Genus. (Characters same as those given for the family) Urinator. (Page 7.) ^ Podiceps nigricoUis Brehm, Vog. Deutschl., 1831, 963. Colymbus nigricoUis Stejn., Auk, ii., Oct. 1885, 340. URINATOR. 7 Genus URINATOR Cuvier. (Page 6, pi. II., fig. 1.) Species. Common Characters.— Above blackish or slaty, beneath white. In summer, upper parts spotted or speckled with white, the throat and fore-neck blackish or chestnut. In ivinter, and in young, upper parts without white markings, and throat and fore-neck white like rest of lower parts. Downy young uniform sooty grayish, the belly white. JVest built on ground at edge of marsh or lake. Eggs 2, elongate- ovate, deep brown or olive, rather sparsely speckled or spotted with dark brown and blackish. a\ Tarsus shorter than middle toe without claw ; fore-neck blackish in summer. b\ Distance from base of culmen to anterior point of loral feathers, above nostrils, greater than the distance from the latter point to anterior bor- der of nostrils. Summer plumage with head and neck black all round, the middle of the fore-neck and sides of lower neck each crossed by a bar or transverse series of white streaks. c\ Tarsus shorter than exposed culmen; bill in adult blackish (almost wholly deep black in summer) ; head and neck glossed with velvety green ; white spots on scapulars broad as long ; length 28.00-36.00 ; wing 13.00-15.25 (14.06); culmen 2.75-3.50 (3.07); depth of bill thro'ugh base .90-1.05 (.96). Eggs 3.52 X 2.27. Hab. Northern part of northern hemisphere, breeding from northern United States northward 7. U. imber (Gunn.). Loon. c\ Tarsus longer than exposed culmen; bill in adult whitish (almost wholly yellowish white in summer) ; head and neck glossed with velvety violet-blue ; white spots on scapulars decidedly longer than broad; length about 35.00-38.00 ; wing 14.85-15.45 (15.11); culmen 3.50-3.65 (3.59) ; depth of bill through base 1.00-1.20 (1.09). Bah. Western Arctic America and northeastern Asia. 8. U. adamsii (Gray). Yellow-billed Loon. h\ Distance from base of culmen to anterior point of loral feathers, not greater than distance from the latter point to anterior extremity of nostril. Summer plumage with upper part of head and hind part of neck gray- ish ; throat and fore-neck black, without white streaks, but several lon- gitudinal series of the latter down the side of the neck, between the black and the gray. c\ Fore-neck and under side of neck glossed with velvety purple ; occi- put and hind-neck deep gray, almost plumbeous. Length 26.00- 29.00 ; wing 12.15-13.20 (12.55) ; culmen 2.50-2.85 (2.60) ; depth of bill at base, .75-.80 (.78)! Eggs 3.09 X 1-96. Hah. Northern por- tions of northern hemisphere, breeding in Arctic regions; in North America, south, in winter, to extreme northern United States, east of the Eocky Mountains. 9. U. arcticus (Linn.). Black-throated Loon. NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. c^. Fore-neek and under side of head glossed with dull bronzy greenish, sometimes inclining to purplish'; occiput and hind-neck very pale smoky grayish, sometimes neai'ly white. Wing 11.20-12.25 (11.54)5 culmon 2.00-2.35 (2.15) ; depth of bill at base .55-.65 (.62). Eggs 3.11 X 1-92. Hab. Pacific coast of North America, from Alaska to Lower California, breeding far northward. 10. U. pacificus (Lawr.). Pacific Loon. Tarsus longer than middle toe with claw. Fore-neck rich chestnut in summer ; head and neck plumbeous gray, the top of head and hind-neck streaked with white ; upper parts speckled with white. Summer plumage : Throat and fore-neck plumbeous, like rest of head and neck, but marked down the mid- dle with a wedge-shaped patch or stripe of rich chestnut. Winter plumage and young : Throat and fore-neck white. Downy young : Above uniform dusky, or sooty slate ; lower parts paler and more grayish. Length 24.00- 27.00 ; wing 10.00-11.50 ; culmen 2.25 ; tarsus 2.75. Eggs 2.82 X 1-76. Hah. Northern portions of northern hemisphere, breeding in Arctic regions ; in North America, south, in winter, nearly across the United States. 11. U. lumme (Gunn.). Red-throated Loon. Family ALCIDiE.— The Auks. (Page 4.) Nest a cavity among rocks, usually on face of cliifs. Egg single, variable as to form and color. Genera. a'^. Inner claw much larger and more strongly curved than the others ; corner of mouth with a thick naked skin, or " rosette ;" bill excessively compressed, nearly as deep as long, the terminal portion transversely grooved (except in young), the basal portion with several accessory deciduous pieces, cast at end of breeding season. (Subfamily Fraterculince.) b\ Basal outline of permanent (terminal) portion of upper mandible convex ; lower mandible wholly destitute of grooves, in all stages ; grooves of upper mandible with concave side toward tip of bill. Nuptial ornaments : Deciduous nasal shield or saddle widest toward culmen, where forming an arched and much thickened ridge ; eyelids without horny append- ages ; on each side of head a large pendent tuft of lengthened, silky, straw-colored feathers Lunda. (Page 10.) ¥. Basal outline of permanent (terminal) portion of bill concave, or nearly straight and very oblique ; pei-manent (terminal) portion of lower man- dible grooved (except in young) ; grooves of the upper mandible with concave side toward base of the bill. Nuptial ornaments: Deciduous nasal shield widest toward nostril ; basal outline of upper mandible con- cave; eyelids furnished with horny appendages; head without orna- mental tufts or plumes Fratercula. (Page 11.) ALCID^. 9 Inner claw not obviously different in size or shape from the others ; corner of mouth without thickened naked skin or " rosette." b^. Angle of chin much nearer to nostril than to tip of bill. c'. Nostrils exposed, overhung by a more or less distinct horny scale, and feathers of lores never reaching to anterior end of nostrils; second- aries without white tips. (Subfamily Phalerince.) d}. Gonys occupying more than half the total length of the lower mandible, or else tip of upper mandible not abruptly decurved from a long, straight culmen. e\ Distance from anterior border of nasal hollow to nearest loral feathers equal to one half or more than one half the dis- tance from the same point to the tip of the bill. (Phalerece.) /\ Bill about as long as the head (culmen about 1.00) ; wing more than 6.50 Cerorhinca. (Page 11.) /*. Bill much shorter than head (culmen less than .75) ; wing less than 6.50. g^. Upper mandible broader than deep at base ; culmen nearly straight. (Wing about 5.00.) Ptychoramphus. (Page 12.) g^. Upper mandible higher than broad at base ; culmen decidedly curved. A\ Lower mandible very narrow, strongly and very regularly recurved, the tip acute ; edge of upper mandible very regularly convex. (AYing 5.25-6.00.) Cyclorrhynchus. (Page 12.) h^. Lower mandible more than half as deep as the upper, not recurved, or else tip not acute ; upper mandible with edge nearly straight or else not regularly convex, (Wing 5.25 or less.) Simorhynchus. (Page 12.) e'. Distance from anterior border of nasal hollow to nearest loral feathers equal to not more than one-fourth the distance from the same point to the tip of the bill. (Brachyramphece.) p. Tarsi scutellate in front, much longer than the horny portion of the commissure. Synthliboramphus. (Page 13.) p. Tarsi reticulate in front, not longer than horny portion of commissure Brachyramphus. (Page 14.) (P. Gonys occupying less than half the total length of the lower man- dible ; culmen straight to near the tip, where abruptly decurved. {Cepphece.) Loral feathers forming an acute angle. (Wing 6.50-7.50 ; culmen 1.00 or more.) Cepphus. (Page 16.) &. Nostrils completely concealed or enclosed within a dense, velvety feathering, which extends from the lores to or beyond their an- 2 10 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. terior end ; secondaries sharply tipped with white. (Subfamily Alcince.^ d\ Bill narrow, the culmen slightly or gently curved, boith mandibles destitute of grooves ; tail rounded, the feathers not pointed. {Uriaece.) Uria. (Page 17.) d}. Bill very deep, much compressed, culmen strongly curved, and one or both mandibles transversely or obliquely grooved (except in young) ; tail graduated, the feathers pointed. (^Alcece.) &. Size medium (culmen less than 1.50) ; bill much shorter than head, the lower mandible with not more than two grooves, or none; wings well developed, admitting of sustained flight. Alca. (Page 18.) ^. Size very large (culmen more than 3.00) ; bill as long as the head, the lower mandible with numerous grooves ; wings rudimentary, not admitting of flight.. Plautus. (Page 19.) y^. Angle of chin much nearer tip of bill than to nostril. (Subfamily AUince.) Bill very short and broad, the culmen much curved; size very small (wing less than 5.00) ; secondaries sharply tipped with white. Alle.^ (Page 19.) Genus LUNDA Pallas. (Page 8, pi. III., fig. 1.) Species. Above uniform sooty black, lower parts sooty grayish, the feathers of breast and belly grayish white beneath the surface, this color sometimes showing through, and breaking the continuity of the dusky. JVvptial plumage : Anterior portion of side of head white ; springing from each side of the crown, immediately above the eye, a thick pendent tuft of lengthened, silky, straw-colored feathers; terminal half of bill bright red, basal portion olive-yellowish ; feet bright scarlet (in life). Winter pilujiiage : Side of head wholly dusky, but lighter in region of insertion of the nuptial tufts, which are wholl}^ absent ; basal deciduous horny covering of bill replaced by soft, dusky brown skin; feet flesh-color (in life). Young, first lointer : Similar to winter adult, but upper mandible destitute of grooves, and nuptial tufts present in a rudimentary condition but of a light brownish color ; terminal portion of bill inclining to brownish orange-red. Young, first summer or autumn : Bill smaller, narrower, and browner in color ; nuptial tufts wanting. Doiony young : Uniform dark sooty grayish, or blackish. Length 14.40-15.60 ; wing 7.75 ; culmen 1.30-1.45. Egg 2.86 X 1-92, more or less ovate, white (sometimes tinged with pale buffy, pinkish, or brownish), usually more or less mai-ked round larger end with faint spots, splashes or streaks of pale brown, or lavender-gray, or both. Hah. Coasts and islands of the North Pacific, from southern California to Alaska, and from Bering's Strait to Japan ; accidental in Bay of Fundy and Kennebec Eiver, Maine 12. L. cirrhata Pall. Tufted Puffin. 1 Alle Link, Beschr. Nat. Samml. Univ. Rostock, i. 1806, 46 (not p. 17, as given in A. 0. U. Check List). FRATERGVLA. H Genus FRATERCULA Brisson. (Page 8, pi. III., fig. 2.) Species. Common Characters. — Upper parts, together with a band across fore-neck, uniform blackish ; sides of head grayish or white ; lower parts pure white. Downy young, uniform sooty blackish, or dark sooty slate, the belly white. Egg shaped and colored like that of Lunda cirrhata. a}. Grooves of the bill very oblique, broad, and distinct, the deciduous basal shields occupying less than the basal half of the bill. Nu])Ual j^lumage : Chin and whole throat grayish, the sides of the head gray ; horny process on upper ej^elid short, subconicalj length 11.50-13.75. l^. Bill and general size smaller: Culmen 1.60-1.90, gonys 1.40-1.50, depth of upper mandible at base .75-.90, of lower, .40-.50. Egg 2.46-1.74. Hah. Coasts of the North Atlantic, from southern Greenland south, in winter, in North America, to New Jersey, breeding as far south as the Bay of Fundy 13. F. arctica (Linn.). Puflan. b\ Bill and general size larger: Culmen 2.00-2.30, gonys 1.40-1.60, depth of upper mandible at base .85-1.00, of lower, .70.-80. Egg 2.65-1.82. Hab. Coasts and islands of the Arctic Ocean, from Spitzbergen to northern and western Greenland. 13a. F. arctica glacialis (Temm.). Large-billed Puffin. o}. Grooves of the bill nearly vertical, narrow, and rather indistinct ; deciduous basal shields occupying much more than the basal half of the bill. Nuptial plumage : Whole throat blackish, the chin, onl}^, gray ; sides of head white ; horny process on upper eyelid elongated, horn-like. Downy young : Uniform sooty blackish, the belly, abruptly, white. Length about 12.50-14.00 ; culmen 2.00-2.25, gonys 1.60-1.70, depth of upper mandible 1.15-1.25, of lower, .70- .80. Egg 2.74-1.84. Hah. Coasts and islands of the North Pacific, from British Columbia to the Kurile Islands. 14. F. corniculata (Naum.). Horned Puffin. Genus CERORHINCA Bonaparte. (Page 9, pi. IV., fig. 1.) Species. Bill much compressed, longer than deep, the culmen regularly curved, but gonj's nearly straight ; upper parts uniform dusky ; under portion and sides of head and neck, down to the chest, together with sides, smoky plumbeous; rest of lower parts white, usually clouded with smoky gray ; a row of narrow, pointed, white feathers along each side of occiput, commencing just above and behind the eye; another row of similar but larger feathers across cheeks, from near corner of mouth. Nuptial plumage : Base of upper mandible surmounted by a compressed upright horn, the base of which clasps the mandible as a saddle, down to, and en- closing the nostrils. Winter plumage : Similar to nuptial dress, but breast more 12 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. uniformly gva,y, the belly more uniform white, and the horn-like process at base of upper mandible entirely absent. Young : Similar to winter adult, but white fila- mentous feathers of head wanting, and bill smaller and darker in color. Downy young : Uniform sooty grayish brown, very similar to corresponding stage of Lunda cirrhata, but rather lighter in color and with more slender bill. Length 14.00- 15.50, wing 7.25, culmen, from cere, or anterior edge of horn, 1.00. Egg 2.70 X 1-82, similar in form, color, etc., to those of Lunda and species of Fratercula. Hob. Coasts and islands of the North Pacific, from LoAver California (resident) to Japan. 15. C. monocerata (Pall.). Rhinoceros Auklet. Genus PTYCHORAMPHUS Brandt. (Page 9, pi. YI., fig. 3.) Species. Above uniform slaty blackish, changing gradually into plumbeous on sides of head and neck, throat, and *fore-neck ; a white spot on lower eyelid ; lower parts white, the sides (beneath wings) plumbeous; length 8.00-9.50, wing 4.75-5.25, cul- men .75. Egg 1.83 X 1-34, ovate, pure white. Hab. Pacific coast of North America, from Aleutian Islands to Lower California. 16. P. aleuticus (Pall.). Cassin's Auklet. Genus CYCLORRHYNCHUS Kaup. (Page 9, pi IV., fig. 5.) Species. Above uniform blackish slate, beneath white ; bill orange-red. Nuptial plu- mage : Throat, fore-neck, and sides dusky ; a line of narrow pointed white feathers starting just below the eye, and extending back across the ear-coverts. Winter plumage : Similar to summer dress, but throat, fore-neck, and sides partly or en- tirely white ; white feathers behind eyes wanting? Young (?) : Similar to winter adult, but bill duller red (or inclining to brownish), and entire lower parts, including throat and fore-neck, continuous white ;^ length 9.00-10.40, wing 5.40-6.00, culmen about .60. Egg 2.12 X 1-46, clear bluish white. Bab. Coasts of the North Pacific from Sitka to the Kurile Islands.... 17. C. psittaculus (Pall.). Paroquet Auklet, Genus SIMORHYNCHUS Merrem. (Page 9, pi. IV., figs. 2 to 4.) Species. Common Characters. — Upper parts blackish, the scapulars sometimes mixed with white. Adults with a series of slender, pointed white feathers commencing beneath the eye and extending backward across the ear-coverts. Eggs ovate, pure white, sometimes faintly tinged with bluish. a\ Wing more than 4.00 ; adult with a recurved frontal crest ; lower parts uniform sooty gray, the belly sometimes whitish ; no white on scapulars. 1 The seasonal and other changes of plumage in this species are not well understood, and we have not the material with which to determine them. The above may, therefore, be not quite correct in some particulars. SYNTHLIBORAMPHUS. I3 }?. Wing 5.00 or more; adult in breeding season with several conspicuous de- ciduous plates on basal portion of bill, including a roundish or semicir- cular piece at corner of mouth ; no white feathers between bill and eye ; belly never whitish. (Subgenus Simorhynchus.) Breeding plumage: Bill bright orange-red, the tip horn-colored. Winter plumage : Bill horn- colored, much smaller, through loss of the deciduous pieces. Young : Frontal crest and white feathers beneath eye wanting, or but slightly developed; bill much smaller, dusky brownish. Length 8.50-10.80; wing about 5.25. Egg 2.14-1.49. Hab. Coasts of the North Pacific from Kadiak, Unalashka, and the Prybilof Islands through the Aleutian chain to Kamtschatka and northern Japan. 18. S. cristatellus (Pall.). Crested Auklet. 61 "Wing less than 4.50 ; adult in breeding season without conspicuous deciduous plates on basal portion ; belly whitish ; a more or less distinct patch of narrow, pointed, white feathers between bill and eye (indistinct or ob- solete in young). (Subgenus Phaleris Temminck.) £reedi?ig plumage : Bill dull purplish red, the tip whitish. Winter plumage not materially different. Young : Frontal crest and white feathers on sides of head wanting or barely indicated ; bill dusky. Downy young : Uniform sooty slate, lighter beneath. Length 7.10-8.30, wing 4.10-4.25, culmen .35-40. Mab. Coasts of the North Pacific, from Unalashka through the Aleutian chain to Kamtschatka... 19. S. pygmseus (Gmel.). Whiskered Anklet. Wing not more than 4.00; adult without frontal crest; lower parts white, some- times blotched with dusky ; scapulars with more or less white ; base of bill with a small compressed knob on top. (Subgenus Ciceronia Reich.) Breed- ing plumage : Lower parts white, more or less spotted or blotched with dusky, this often forming a distinct band across the chest. Winter plumage : Lower parts, including sides of neck, entirely white ; white ornamental feathers of forehead, etc., usually less developed. Young : Similar to winter plumage, but bill smaller, scapulars more extensively white, and white orna- mental feathers of forehead, etc., wanting. Downy young : Uniform sooty slate, paler and graj^er on lower parts. Length 5.50-7.20, wing 3.50-4.00, culmen .35-.40. Eggs 1.58 X 1-10. Hab. Coasts] of the North Pacific, from Japan and southern Alaska to the Aleutian and Prybilof Islands. 20. S. pusillus (Pall.). Least Auklet. Genus SYNT^HLIBORAMPHUS Brandt. (Page 9, pi. VL, fig. 1.) Species. Common Characters. — Above plumbeous, beneath white. Breeding plumage : Chin and part, or whole, of throat dusky ; top of head with a broad white stripe along each side ; sides, from neck to flanks, uniform sooty blackish. Winter plumage : Whole throat white, the chin plumbeous ; no white stripes on top of head ; sides and flanks white, striped with slaty. 14 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. a}. Never crested. Breeding plumage : Chin, throat, and fore-neck, with top and sides of head, sooty black ; sides of neck and a broad stripe along each side of occiput, pure white ; white stripes on side of occiput not extending forward of the eye ; upper back streaked laterally with white. Winter plumage: Whole throat white ; stripes on sides of occiput and streaks on upper part of back wanting. Length 9.50-10.80, wing 5.25-5.50, culmen .60. Egg 2.42 X 1-55, elongate-ovate, buffy (variable in shade from nearly white to almost an Isabella-color), speckled or otherwise marked all over with deep brown and lavender-gray. Hab. Coasts of the North Pacific, from Japan and southern Alaska (Sitka) northward 21. S. antiquus (Gmel.). Ancient Murrelet. a}. Crested in the breeding season. Breeding jjlamage : Fore part of crown with a loose crest of slender, lengthened feathers slightly curved or nearly straight ; upper half of throat velvety plumbeous, with a truncated posterior outline; ear-coverts deep plumbeous ; 'white stripes on sides of top of head extending forward far beyond the eye ; upper back not streaked with white. Winter plumage : Whole throat and malar region white, the chin, only, plumbeous ; no white on top of head, and no crest. Downy young : Above brownish gray, the back and rump indistinctly streaked with grayish white ; lower parts, including chin, entirely pure white. Length about 9.50-11.00, wing 5.10- 5.50. Hab. Coasts of the North Pacific, from Japan (and Washington Ter- ritory ?) northward. (Very doubtfully American.) 22. S. wumizusume (Temm.). Temminck's Murrelet. Genus BRACHYRAMPHUS Brandt. (Page 9, pi. YI., fig. 2.) Species. Common Characters. — Size small (wing less than 5.50) ; bill small and slender, much shoi'ter than head (not longer than the short tarsus), compressed, and pointed ; culmen gently curved, gonys nearly straight ; plumage very plain, with- out ornamental feathers about head at any season. a^. Tarsus shorter than middle toe, without claw. 6'. Exposed culmen about equal to inner toe, without claw ; secondaries and outer tail-feathers entirely dusky. d. Culmen .70 or less. Summer adult : Above dusky, barred more or less with deep rusty ; beneath mixed white and sooty brown, in varying relative proportion. Winter plumage : Above, interrupted by a white collar across nape ; scapulars mixed with white, and feathers of back, etc., tipped with plumbeous ; entire lower parts pure white, the orbital and superciliary regions dusky, like top of head, and outermost feathers of flanks striped with dark grayish. Young : Above uniform dusky, with indistinct white collar and scapular patches ; lower parts white, transversely mottled with dark sooty ; bill much smaller and weaker than in adult. Length 9.50-10.00, wing about 5.00, culmen .60-.70, tarsus .70, middle toe .92-1.00. Egg BRACHYRAMPHUS. 15 2.14 X 1-42, ovate, ground-color buffy, speckled or otherwise marked with various shades of brown. Hah. Pacific coast of North America, from southern California to western Alaska. 23. B. marmoratus (Gmel.). Marbled Murrelet. c\ Culmen .75. Summer adult : Similar to corresponding stage of B. rnar- moratus, but markings of upper parts buffy and dull whitish, instead of deep rusty. Wing 5.50, culmen .75, tarsus .70, middle toe .95. Eab. Coasts of northeastern Asia, from Japan to Kamtschatka. B.perdix (Pall.). Partridge Murrelet.* b\ Exposed culmen not more than two-thirds as long as inner toe without claw ; secondaries broadly tipped with white, and outer tail-feathers partly or wholly white. c\ Tarsus .60 or more. Summer adult : Above plumbeous, thickly marked with irregular, "taostly longitudinal, spots of buff; lower parts chiefly white, the chest and sides washed with buff and irregularly spotted and barred with dusky ; belly more faintly marked with more regular crescentic bars. Winter plumage : Above glossy plumbeous, the back and rump very narrowly and indistinctly barred with white; scapu- lars chiefly white ; sides of head (including lores and superciliary region), a narrow collar round hind-neck, and entire lower parts, pure white, the sides of the breast crossed by a broad band of slate- gray, narrowing toward the middle of the chest. Wing 5.10-5.80, culmen .35-.45, depth of bill at base .20-.22, tarsus .60-.65, middle toe .85-.95. Sab. Unalashka, through Aleutian chain to Kamtschatka and northern Japan. 24. B. kittlitzii (Brandt). Kittlitz's Murrelet. c^ Tarsus .50. Wing 5.25, culmen .50, tarsus .50. Summer plumage : Above grayish brown, head and neck spotted with white ; beneath white, waved and spotted with brown. Hab. San Bias, western Mexico. B. brevirostris (ViG.). Short-billed Murrelet.^ Tarsus as long as or longer than middle toe without claw. b\ Lining of wing white ; above plain dark slaty, beneath entirely pure white ; length 9.60-10.50, wing 4.50-5.25, culmen .70-.80, tarsus .90-.95, middle toe .85. Sab. Southern California to Cape St. Lucas. 25. B. hypoleucus Xantus. Xantus's Murrelet. b^ Lining of wing smoky gray, or slaty ; in plumage otherwise like B. hypo- leucus; length about 10.25, wing 4.60, culmen .78-.80, tarsus .88-.90, middle toe .80-.88. Egg 2.03 X 1-40, ovate, ground-color buffy, isabella- color, or fawn-color, thickly sprinkled, speckled, or otherwise marked with dark brown. Eab. Lower California (vicinity of Cape St. Lucas). 26. B. craveri (Salvad.). Craveri's Murrelet. 1 Cepphus perdix Pallas, Zoog. Rosso-As. ii. 1826, .351, pi. 80. Brachyramphiis 2)erdix Stejn. Zeitschr. Ges. Orn. iii. 1886, 21.3, p. 7. 2 Uria brevirostris ViG., Zool. Jour. iv. 1828, 357. Possibly the same as B. kittlluii Brandt, 16 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. Genus CEPPHUS Pallas. (Page 9, pi. II., fig. 3.) Species. Common Characters. — Summer adults uniform black, with or without white on wings. Winter specimens white, varied above (sometimes below also) with black, the wings and tail as in summer. Young similar to winter adults, but white of wings varied with dusky, the quills mai'ked at tips with white. Bill black ; feet bright red in summer, pinkish in winter. Egg varying from ovate to elongate- ovate, greenish white or buffy white, heavily spotted or otherwise conspicuously marked with dark brown and lavender-gray. a^. A large white patch on outer surface of wing. h^. Under wing-coverts pure white. c\ Greater wing-coverts white to the extreme base, sometimes a little dusky along the basal portion of the shafts. Adult in summer : Uni- form blackish, except a large roundish or oval patch of pure white on the wing, including the greater, middle, and posterior lesser coverts, these feathers all white to the base; axillars, under wing- coverts, and basal half, or more, of inner webs of quills, pure white. Winter plumage : Wings as in summer; rest of the plumage pure white, the upper parts varied with black. Young : Similar to winter plumage, but white wing-patch broken by blackish tij^s to all the feathers ; secondaries and primary covei'ts marked with white at ends, and lower jjarts indistinctly barred with dusky. Downy young : Uniform sooty blackish, paler and more grayish below. Length about 12.50-13.50, wing 6.25-7.20, culmen 1.00-1.20, gonys .50, depth of bill at nostril .35-.40. Egg 2.38 X 1-36. Hah. Circumpolar sea- coasts, south in North America, in winter, to New Jersey and Norton Sound, Alaska. (Breeding south to Hudson's Bay and coast of Labrador.) 28. C. mandtii (Light.). Mandt's Guillemot. cl Greater wing-coverts with at least their basal half black, this often showing as a narrow bar beyond tips of middle coverts ; plumage otherwise as in G. mandtii, and measurements nearly the same, but bill larger and stouter; length 12.00-13.80, culmen 1.20-1.30, gonys .55-.60, depth of bill at nostril .40-.45. Egg 2.25 X 1-55. Bah. Coasts of northern Europe; also from southern Greenland along Labrador coast and south, in wintci-, to New Jersey; breeding from Newfoundland and southern Labrador to vicinity of Eastport, Maine(?) 27. C. grylle (Linn.). Black Guillemot. h"^. Under wing-coverts smoky gray. Greater wing-coverts black basally, this increasing in extent toward edge of the wing, where occupying almost the whole extent of the outermost feather, thus producing a bi-oad black " wedge" between the two white areas ; plumage otherwise as in G. grylle, with similar seasonal chano;es, etc. ; lene;th 13.00-14.00, wing 6.90-7.30, culmen URIA. 17 1.20-1.40, gonys .55-.60, depth of bill at nostril .40-.42. JEgg 2.41 X 1.64. Mab. Coasts of the North Pacific, from southern California to the Aleutian Islands, and across to Kamtschatka and northern Japan. 29. C. columba Pall. Pigeon Guillemot. al No white on wings. 6^ A whitish area surrounding the eye ; plumage otherwise dark sooty. (Winter plumage and young unknown.) Length about 14.50, wing about 7.75, culmen 1.55-1.70, gonys .75-.80, depth of bill at nostril .50. ITab. Coa^s of northeastern Asia, from northern Japan to Sea of Okhotsk, Kurile Islands, and Bering Island (accidental?); Unalashka?? C. carbo Pall. Sooty Guillemot. b'^. No white anywhere, the plumage entirely dark sooty ; about the size of G. carbo. Hab. High north Atlantic (Iceland, Greenland, and west side of Cumberland Gulf). — . C. motzfeldi Benick. Black-winged Guillemot. Genus URIA Brisson. (Page 10, pi. II., fig. 2.) Species. Common Characters. — Culmen as long as or longer than the tarsus ; bill much compressed, the gonys more or less concave, and nearly as long as the culmen ; cutting- edge of upper mandible notched near tip, its basal portion more or less thickened or swollen ; a distinct longitudinal furrow in the feathering behind eyes ; upper parts uniform dusky, the secondaries sharply tipped witb white; lower parts white. Summer plumage : Sides of head and neck, chin, throat, and fore-neck, uniform velvety brown. Winter plumage : Chin, throat, fore-neck, and sides of head and neck white, with a dusky stripe behind eye. Young : Similar to winter plumage, but no white on side of occiput, and that of fore-neck faintly mottled with dusky ; bill smaller. Downy young : Head, neck, and upper parts smoky grayish brown, the head and neck finely streaked with dingy whitish ; lower parts whitish centrally. Egg as large as that of a goose, elongate or ovate pear-shaped, and excessively vari- able in color, the ground-color varying from white to cream-color, pinkish, pale blue, and yellowish green (the last two colors probably most common), and varie- gated with variously-formed marks of black and brown. a^. Depth of bill at angle less than one-third the length of the culmen ; top of head and hind-neck smokj^ brown ; basal portion of cutting-edge of upper mandible always dusky or similar in color to rest of the mandible. Summer plumage : Sides of head and neck, chin, throat, and fore-neck, velvety smoky grayish brown, sometimes marked with a narrow white postocular line, connected with a white ring around eye.^ (Length 15.00-18.00.) b\ Wing 7.75-8.30 (7.99), culmen 1.70-1.90 (1.81), gonys 1.05-1.20 (1.14), depth of bill through angle .50-.60 (.52), tarsus 1.40-1.60 (1.51), middle toe 1.60-1.75 (1.70). Egg 3.26 X 1-99. ^ab. Coasts of the North Atlantic, 1 Such specimens constitute the U. ringvia BrUnn., by some authors considered a distinct species, and pos- sibly entitled to such rank. Its proper status is a matter of doubt, and is a fit subject for special investigation. Such specimens are only known from the North Atlantic. 18 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. south, in winter, to New England, on American side ; breeding from Nova Scotia northward 30. U. troile (Linn.). Murre. h\ Wing 7.85-8.80 (8.30), culmen 1.60-2.50 (1.86), gonys^ 1.15-1.40 (1.27), depth of bill through angle .55-.62 (.57), tarsus 1.35-1.60 (1.50), middle toe 1.65-1.85 (1.74). Egg 3.24 X 2.01. Hah. Pacific coast of North America, south to southern California. 30a. U. troile californica (Bryant). California Murre. a^. Depth of bill at angle more than one-third the length of the culmen ; top of head and hind-neck sooty black ; basal portion of cutting-edge of upper mandible thickened, and conspicuously light-colored in adult. Summer plumage : Sides of head and neck, chin, throat, and fore-neck, velvety snuff-brown. (Length 14.50-18.50.) h\ Wing 7.45-8.80 (8.24), culmen 1.40-1.50 (1.45), gonys .75-.90 (.83), depth of bill through angle .52-.58 (.55), tarsus 1.40-1.55 (1.45), middle toe 1.65- 1.75 (1.70). Egg 3.16 X 2.03. Hah. Arctic Ocean and coasts of the North Atlantic, south, in winter, to New Jersey ; breeding from Gulf of St. Lawrence northward 31. U. lomvia (Linn.). Briinnicli's Murre. h\ Wing 8.15-9.25 (8.71), culmen 1.45-1.75 (1.65), gonys .85-1.00 (.92), depth of bill through angle .55-.60 (.58), tarsus 1.45-1.60 (1.51), middle toe 1.70- 1.90 (1.81). Egg 3.21 X 2.01. Hab. Coasts and islands of Bering's Sea, and Aleutian chain, from Kadiak to Kamtschatka. 31a. U. lomvia arra (Pall.). Pallas's Murre. Genus ALCA Linn^us. (Page 10, pi. V., fig. 2.) Species. Upper parts uniform black, the secondaries sharply tipped with white ; lower parts pure white. Summer plumage : Head and neck (except top of head and hind- neck) uniform velvety snuff-brown ; a white line from the base of the culmen to the eye ; bill black, both mandibles crossed about the middle by a white bar. Winter adult : Whole under portion of head, fore-neck, and space behind ear-coverts, white ; no white line between bill and eye ; bill as in summer, but Avithout basal lamina. Young : Similar in plumage to winter adult ; but bill smaller, without grooves, and lacking the white bar. Downy young : Head, neck, and lower parts plain dull whitish, usually more or less tinged above with brownish buff; back, rump, and flanks varying from pale brownish buff (the down dusky immediately beneath the surface), more decidedly brownish posteriorly, to dark sooty brown ; posterior and lateral lower parts more or less tinged with sooty brownish or brownish buff. Length 15.00-18.00, wing 8.00-8.50, tail 3.50, culmen 1.25, greatest depth of bill .90. Egg 3.06 X 1-89, ovate or elongate pear-shaped, buffy, buffy whitish, pure white, or white faintly tinted with bluish or greenish, very heavily spotted with dark brown round larger end, and marked with smaller spots elsewhere, of brown and lavender- gray. Hab. Coasts of the North Atlantic, south, in winter, to southern New Eng- land ; breeding from eastern Maine northward, 32, A. torda Linn. Razor-billed Auk. PLAUTUS. 19 G-ENus PLAUTUS Brunnich. (Page 10, pi. Y., fig. 1.) Species. Upper pai'ts uniform black, the secondaries sharply tipped with white ; lower parts pure white. Summer plumage : Chin, throat, fore-neck, and sides of head and neck, velvety dark snuff-brown, or soft blackish brown ; a large oval patch of white covering the greater part of the space between bill and eyes ; bill black, its grooves whitish. Length about 28.00-30.00, wing 5.75, culmen 3.15-3.50, greatest depth of bill about 1.50. Egg (average size) 4.67 X 2.91, pyriform-ovate, pale olive-buffy, variously marked with brown and black. Hob. Believed to be now extinct ; for- merly (previous to 1844), coasts and islands of the North Atlantic, chiefly on the American side ; south to Massachusetts Bay, north to the Arctic circle. 33.* P. impennis (Linn.). Great Auk. Genus ALLE Link. (Page 10, pi. VI., fig. 4.) Species. Head, neck, and upper parts black, the secondaries sharply tipped with white, and scapulars streaked with the same ; lower parts white, the flanks striped with dusky. Summer plumage : Sides of head and neck, with chin, throat, and chest, uniform dark sooty brown. Winter adult : Chin, throat, etc., white, this color ex- tending upward toward occiput ; feathers of chest dusky at base only. Young : Similar to winter adult, but bill smaller and weaker, and colors duller. Downy young : Uniform sooty slate-color, paler or more grayish below. Length 7.25-9.15, wing 4.50-4.75, culmen .50. Egg 1.90 X 1-29, ovate, very pale bluish green or green- ish white. Hab. Arctic Ocean and coasts of the North Atlantic ; on the American side south, in winter, to New Jersey ; accidental on Detroit Eiver. 34. A. alle (Linn.). Dovekie. 20 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. Order LONGIPENNES.— The Long-winged Swimmers. (Page i.) Families. a}. Bill with the lower mandible not longer than the upper, and not excessively compressed. h^. Covering of the upper mandible composed of three distinct pieces — a ter- minal unguis, or hook, a lateral piece, and a cere-like piece saddled upon the culmen, its edge overhanging the nostril. Stercorariidse. (Page 20.) 6^ Covering of upper mandible consisting of a single piece, through which the nostrils are pierced Laridae. (Page 23.) a^ Bill with lower mandible much longer than the upper, both mandibles excessively compressed, like a thin knife-blade, for terminal portion. Rynchopidae. (Page 48.) Family STERCORARIIDSE,— The Skuas and Jaegers. (Page 20.) Genera. a^. Size large (in bulk equal to the largest gulls), and form robust ; depth of bill at base equal to not less than half the length of the upper mandible, measured along the side ; tarsus shorter than middle toe with claw ; tail short, nearly even, the middle pair of feathers scarcely projecting beyond the rest ; color dull brownish, sometimes streaked (never barred) with paler, the base of the primaries with a whitish patch Megalestris. (Page 20.) a^ Size medium or rather small (not exceeding the medium-sized gulls), and form more slender and graceful ; depth of bill at base less than half the length of the upper mandible, measured along the side ; tarsus decidedly longer than middle toe with claw ; middle rectrices in the adult projecting far beyond the rest ; color plain slaty or dusky, often varied with white or yellowish, in the adult, dusky barred with paler in young; no white at base of primaries. Stercorarius. (Page 21.) Genus MEGALESTRIS Bonaparte. (Page 20, pL YII., fig. 1.) Species. Common Characters. — General color nearly uniform grayish brown or sooty, usually indistinctly streaked with light rusty, or cinnamon, especially around neck and on back ; quills whitish at base. Fggs olive, spotted with brown. STERCORARIUS. 21 a}. Axillars and under wing-coverts soot}^, with little or no rufous. 6'. Below grayish brown, with more or less distinct lighter, more cinnamon- colored, spots or dashes on fore-neck and chest. Adult : Dull brown the scapulars, interscapulars, and wing-coverts striped medially with pale cinnamon, the neck streaked with the same; lower parts indistinctly striped with grayish brown and pale cinnamon, the former prevailino- (sometimes uniform). Sometimes (in melanistic specimens?) uniform dusky or sooty brown, except white wing-spot. Young : Similar to adult, but more distinctly streaked with yellowish, especially on head and neck. Downy young (of M. skua) : Uniform " brownish or cinnamon-gray . . . rather darker in color on the upper parts than on the under surface of the body." (Dresser.) Length about 22.00, wing 15.75-16.15 (15.91), cul- men 2.05-2.10 (2.06), depth of bill at base .80-.88 (.82), tarsus 2.40-2.75 (2.63), middle toe 2.15-2.55 (2.40). IJggs 2-3, 2.74 X 1-96, ovate or short-ovate, light brown or olive, rather sparsely blotched and spotted with deep brown. Ilab. Coasts and islands of North Atlantic, south to Spain and (casually) Massachusetts ; California ? 35. M. skua (Brijnn.). Skua. 61 Darker colored, larger, and with stouter bill ; under parts uniform dark sooty, the neck however sometimes streaked with yellowish ; wing 16.05-16.90 (16.29), culmen 2.20-2.85 (2.38), depth of bill at base .95-1.00 (.98), tarsus 2.70-3.20 (2.95), middle toe 2.55-2.80 (2.67). Rab. Antarctic seas, north to Cape of Good Hope and Cape Horn. M. antarcticus (Less.). Antarctic Skua.* a^. Axillars and under wing-coverts chiefly deep cinnamon. Lower parts uniform dull rusty or cinnamon. M. chilensis (Bonap.). Chilian Skua.^ Genus STERCORARIUS Brisson. (Page 20, pi. YII., fig. 2.) Eggs 2-3, ovate or short-ovate, ground-color varying from pale greenish olive and pale brown to very deep olive, relieved by a greater or less amount of spotting of deep brown, usually mixed with stone-grayish. Species. d}. Culmen 1.45 or more, tarsus 2.00 or more, wing usually more than 13.50 ; length- ened middle tail-feathers broad and rounded at ends. LigM phase, ahult : Top and sides of head, with upper parts, sooty slate or dusky ; rest of head and neck, including nape, together with lower parts, white, the ear-covert region tinged with straw-yellow, and the lower tail-coverts slaty. Young : Head, neck, and lower parts dull buff", everywhere barred with dusky ; upper parts brownish dusky, the feathers of back, etc., tipped with buff, the rump and upper tail-coverts spotted with same. Dark phase, adult : Entirely dark sooty 1 Lestris antarcticus Less., Traite Orn. 18.31, 616. Megalestris antarcticus Gould, P. Z. S. 1859, 98. 2 Lestris antarcticus, var. b. chilensis BoNAP., Consp. ii. 1857, 207. 22 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. slate, with a plumbeous cast in certain lights. Young : Entirely sooty slate, the lower parts more or less barred with buff. [Note. — The above so-called light and dai-k " phases" repi'esent the normal extremes of coloration. These extremes, which are represented in comparatively a small number of speci- mens, ai'e connected by every possible intermediate condition of plumage, specimens approximating to the lighter extreme, but differing in having the lower parts (especially chest and sides) and nape more or less barred with dusky, being most numerous.] Length about 20.00-23.00, wing 13.50-14.00, middle tail-feathers 8.00-9.00, culmen 1.45-1.75, tarsus 2.00-2.10, middle toe 1.60-1.75. Eggs 2.35 X 1-63. Ilab. Northern portions of northern hemi- sphere, along sea-coasts and larger inland waters, breeding far northward ; in America, south, in winter, to New Jersey and the G-reat Lakes. 36. S. pomarinus (Temm.). Pomarine Jaeger. fll Culmen less than 1.45, tarsus less than 2.00, wing usually less than 13.50 ; lengthened middle tail-feathers narrow and pointed at ends. b^. Length of nasal shield, from base of unguis to frontal feathers, decidedly greater than from the former point to tip of upper mandible. In freshly- killed or living specimens, tarsi black, like the feet. Light phase, adult : Top of head and lores grayish brown ; rest of head, neck, and lower parts white, the lower tail-coverts grayish, the head and neck tinged with straw-yellow ; upper parts uniform slaty. Young : Head and neck streaked with dusk}^ and buffy, the latter usually predominating ; lower parts barred or spotted with the same ; upper parts dusky, the feathers bordered terminally with pale fulvous or buff. Dark phase, adult : En- tire plumage uniform sooty slate-color, the quills darker. Young : Pre- vailingly dark brownish slate, wings and tail darker, the middle of neck, all round, indistinctl}^ streaked with whitish, and lower parts, except chest and upper breast, barred with the same ; feathers of upper parts narrowly tipped with buffy. Downy young (dark phase ?) : Uniform silky grayish brown, lighter on lower parts. Length about 15.50-21.00, wing ll. 80-13.50 (12.67), longest tail-feathers 4.90-6.25 (5.40), culmen 1.15-1.40 (1.27), tarsus 1.50-1.85 (1.70), middle toe 1.20-1.45 (1.34). Eggs 2.30 X 1-64. Hah. Northern portions of northern hemisphere, breeding toward Arctic regions ; south, in winter, to New York, Illinois, Colorado, and even coast of Brazil. .37. S. parasiticus (Linn.). Parasitic Jaeger. 6*. Length of nasal shield, measured from base of unguis to frontal feathers, not greater than the distance from the former point to the tip of the upper mandible. In freshly -killed or living specimens, tarsi light bluish, in marked contrast with black of feet.^ Adult : ^ Top and sides of head sooty black ; rest of head and neck, including ear-coverts and nape, straw-yellow, paler on throat ; upper parts uniform smoky plumbeous or 1 In dried skins this color usually changes to a light olive or yellowish, or in very rare instances becomea so darkened that the line of demarcation cannot be detected. 2 So far as known, this species has no dark phase like S. parasiticus. LARID^. 23 slate-color, more ashy on back ; quills and tail-feathers blackish toward tips ; chest (sometimes breast also), and more rarely the belly, white, shading into grayish, the under tail-coverts, sides, and flanks (usually belly also) uniform slate-gray. Length 20.00-23.00, wing 11.55-12.85 (12.25), longest tail-feathers 10.50-14.50 (12.89), culmen 1.10-1.30 (1.19), tarsus 1.50-1.80 (1.66), middle toe 1.08-1.30 (1.20). Eggs 2.16 X 1.54. Hah. Northern parts of northern hemisphere, breeding in Arctic regions; south, in winter, to northern United States. 38. S. longicaudus Vieill. Long-tailed Jaeger. Family LARIDiE. — The Gulls and Terns. (Page 20.) Genera. a\ Depth of bill decidedly greater at the angle than at the nostril ; terminal por- tion of culmen decidedly curved ; angle of lower mandible always distinct, often very prominent ; tail usually even, but sometimes slightly emarginate (Rissa), deeply emarginate or forked (Xema), or graduated (RJiodostethia). Size extremely variable (wing 8.75-20.00). (Subfamily Larince.) ¥. Tarsus roughened or serrate behind. Tail even ; tarsus shorter than middle toe, with claw ; hind toe perfectly developed, but small ; size medium (wing about 13.25) ; color entirely white, the young scantily spotted with dusky Gavia. (Page 24.) b^. Tarsus not roughened or serrate behind. c\ Hind toe rudimentary or altogether absent. Tail slightly emarginate; tarsus shorter than middle toe, without claw ; size medium (wing about 12.00-13.00) ; adult white, with bluish gray mantle ;^ young, similar to adult, but hind neck with a blackish patch, and lesser wing-coverts sometimes (in one spe- cies) also with a black patch Rissa. (Page 24.) c^ Hind toe perfectly developed, though small. d^. Culmen decidedly more than two-thirds as long as tarsus. e\ Tail even ; size, color, and all other characters extremely vari- able Larus. (Page 25.) e*. Tail deeply emarginate or forked Xema. (Page 37.) d^. Culmen decidedly less than two-thirds as long as tarsus. Tail graduated, the lateral feathers .75-1.25 shorter than the middle pair Rhodostethia. (Page 37.) o^ Depth of bill at angle less than at middle of nostrils ; terminal portion of culmen straight, or but slightly curved, the bill being narrow and pointed ; angle of lower mandible seldom prominent ; tail more or less forked (except in Anous). Size extremely variable (wing 6.50-17.50). (Subfamily Sternince.) 1 This is a special term used, chiefly in descriptions of birds of this family, to designate the back, scapu- lars, and wings, when together colored differently from the head, neck, rump, tail, and lower parts. 24 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. b^. Tail more or less forked, the outer feather longest. c^. Tail much more than one-third as long as wing, usually (except in sub- genus Thalassevs) forked for more than one-fifth its total length, the outer feathers narrow and pointed at tips ; webs of feet occu- pying more than half the interdigital space. d}. Depth of bill at base equal to one-third the length of the exposed culmen ; gonys shorter than outer toe, without claw. Gelochelidon. (Page 38.) d}. Depth of bill at base less than one-third the length of the exposed culmen ; gonys longer than inner toe, without claAv. Sterna. (Page 39.) c^ Tail little more than one-third as long as wing, forked for less than one- fifth its total length, the outer feathers broad and rounded at tip ; webs of feet occupying less than half the interdigital space. Hydrochelidon. (Page 46.) y^. Tail graduated Anous. (Page 47.) Genus GAVIA Boie. (Page 23, pi. YIII., fig. 1.) Species. Adult : Entirely pure white, the shafts of the primaries pale yellowish ; bill yel- lowish ; feet black. Young : Similar to adult, but quills, primary coverts, and tail- feathers each marked with a spot of dusky at tip, the lesser wing-coverts spotted with same. Length 15.00-19.50, wing about 13.25, culmen 1.40. Hab. Arctic Ocean, south, in winter, along Atlantic coast of North America to Newfoundland and New Brunswick 39. G. alba (Gunn.). Ivory Gull. Genus RISSA Leach. (Page 23, pi. YIII., fig. 2.) Species. Common Characters. — Adults with head, neck, rump, upper tail-coverts, tail, tips of secondaries, and entire lower parts pure white ; mantle bluish gray, the quills varied with white and black ; bill yellowish, feet blackish or bright red in life. Young similar to adults, but hind-neck crossed by a blackish collar or patch, and sometimes (in R. tridactyla) a blackish patch on lesser wing-coverts and black band across tip of tail. Downy young white, tinged above with butfy and yellowish gray, but without spots or other distinct markings. Eggs 2-5, ovate, or short-ovate, olivaceous-white, grayish white, brownish white, or bufi*}^, blotched and sj^otted with brown and lavender-gray. rt\ Legs and feet black, or dusky. Summer adult: Pure white, the mantle deep pearl-gray ; five outer quills with terminal portion black, this decreasing from about 3.25 on the outer quill to .75 (more or less) on the fifth, the outer web _ of the first almost wholly black ; the fifth, and sometimes the fourth, tipped with white. Winter adult : Similar, but hind part of head and neck washed LARUS. 25 Mnth gray, and n dark plumbeous suffusion before and behind ej-es. Young : Somewhat like winter adult, but lowei'part of hind-neck crossed by a black patch, the anterior lesser wing-coverts black, and tail with a broad black band at tip. Downy yoimg : Head, neck, wings, and lower parts immaculate white, the hind-neck and basal portion of wings more or less tinged with buff; back, rump, and flanks yellowish gray, the down darker at base. Length about 16.00-17.70, wing about 12.25, culmen 1.40-1,50, tarsus 1.30, middle toe, with claAV, 1.80. b^. Hind toe absent, or very rudimentary, ^ggs 2.26 X 1-61. Hab. North Atlantic, south, in winter, to middle Atlantic States and Great Lakes. 40. R. tridactyla (Linn.). Kittiwake. 61 Hind toe well developed, though minute, and usually armed with a distinct nail. Bggs 2.36 X 1-63. Hab. Bering's Sea and North Pacific. 40rt. R. tridactyla pollicaris Stejn. Pacific Kittiwake. a^ Legs and feet bright red (becoming yellowish in dried skins). ■Summer adult : Pure white, the mantle dark bluish gray, or plumbeous ; five innermost quills plumbeous, the inner webs broadly edged with white, the outer tipped with the same; five outermost quills black toward ends, the third, fourth, and fifth tipped with plumbeous. Winter adult : Similar, but hind-neck and auriculars washed with plumbeous. Young : Similar to winter adult, but hind-neck crossed by a blackish band, ear-coverts crossed by a smaller black band, and a suffusion of same in front of eye. (iVo black or dusky on wing- coverts or tail.) Downy young : Not distinguishable from corresponding stage B. tridactyla {?). Length about 14.00-15.80, wing about 13.00, culmen 1.20, tarsus 1.25, middle toe, with claw, nearly 2.00. Eggs 2.28 X '^■G^- Hab. Coasts and islands of Bering's Sea. 41. R. brevirostris (Bruch). Red-legged Kittiwake. Genus LARUS Linn^us. (Page 23, pi. VIIL, figs. 3, 4; pi. IX., fig. 3.) Species} Nest a rudel}^ constructed platform of rubbish (sticks, dried grass, etc. — the materials varying according to the locality and the species), slightly hollowed, placed among rocks, in marshes, or other localities near the sea-shore or other large bodies of water. Eggs 2-4, ovate, their ground-color some shade of pale brownish, olive, light bluish, greenish, or buffy, irregularly spotted or blotched with brown and lavender-grayish. a\ Head entirely white in summer. b^. Under wing-coverts entirely pure white ; head, neck, entire lower parts, tips of secondaries, rump, upper tail-coverts, and tail uniform pure white ; mantle {i.e.., back, scapulars, and wings, except primaries) uniform gray- ish, varying in shade from pale pearl-gray to deep slate, c^ Primaries uniform pale pearl-gray, fading gradually into white at tips. * The young birds of this genus seldom offering very obvious distinctive characters, this analysis is based on the adults alone. 4 26 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. d'^. Wing 16.25 or more, and not more than 2.36 times as long as the tail; exposed culmen 1.88 or more. Adult i?i sununer : Mantle very pale pearl-gray. Adult in winter : Similar, but head and neck streaked with pale brownish gray. Young: Grayish white, tinged with brownish gray on lower parts, the upper parts transversely mottled with same. Immature (second year ?) : Entirely white, including mantle and primaries. Downy young : Grayish white, paler below ; head and neck irregularly marked with scattered large spots of dusky, the back, wings, and rump irregularly clouded with dark grayish. e\ Length 26.00-32.00, wing 16.75-18.75 (17.99), tail 7.40-8.50 (8.07), culmen 2.30-2.70 (2.52), depth of bill through angle .80-.95 (.88), through base .83-1.00 (.93), tarsus 2.60-3.05 (2.85), middle toe (with olaw) 2.68-3.00 (2.84). IJggs 3.13 X 2.14. Ifab. Coasts of the North Atlantic, and Arctic seas from Cumberland Gulf to Spitzbergen ; south, in winter, to Long Island and the Great Lakes. 42. L. glaucus BRtJNN. Glaucous Gull. e\ Length about 25.00-28.00, wing 16.25-18.00 (17.12), tail 7.00- 7.50 (7.28), culmen 1.88-2.30 (2.06), depth of bill through angle .72-.85 (.79), through base .70-.80 (.75), tarsus 2.40- 2.78 (2.57), middle toe (with claw) 2.35-2.75 (2.55). Eggs 3.05 X 2.03. Hab. Bering's Sea and adjacent waters, northeastward to Point Barrow, southwest (in winter) to Japan.... — . L. barrovianus Eidgw. Point Barrow Gull. d''. Wing not more than 17.00 (usually less than 16.00), and nearly 2.50 (averaging 2.41) times as long as the tail ; exposed culmen not more than 1.70. In plumage exactly like L. glaucus and L. barrovianus. Length 24.00-26.00, wing 14.75-16.50 (15.41), tail 6.00-6.70 (6.41), culmen 1.60-1.70 (1.67), depth of bill through angle .62, through base .55-.62 (.59), tarsus 2.10-2.40 (2.22), mid- dle toe (with claw) 2.10-2.35 (2.21). Eggs 2.79 X 1-89. Hab. Coasts of the North Atlantic; south, in winter, to Massachusetts and the Great Lakes. 43. L. leucopterus Faber. Iceland GulL c^. Primaries mai"ked with distinct white tips and darker subterminal spaces. d^. Darker spaces of primaries gray. e^. Second quill very pale pearl-gray, or bluish white, very broadly tipped with white, the outer web with an elongated space of gvay, everywhere very sharply defined against the paler ground-color. ' Larua barrovianus Eidgw., Auk, iii. July, 1886, 330, LARUS. 27 f\ Wing 17.00, or less; culmen 1.90, or less. Adult : Exactly like Jj. leucopterus, except in the coloration of the pri- maries; length about 23.00-24.00, wing 15.00-17.00, culmen 1.60-1.90, depth of bill through angle .55-.66, tarsus 2.10-2.40, middle toe (with claw) 2.15-2.30. Hab. Western coasts of North Atlantic, from Cum- berland Gulf south, in winter, to New York. 45. L. kumlieni Brewst. Kumlien's Gull. /^ Wing 18.25, culmen 2.35. Adult : In plumage exactly like Jj. kumlieni ; depth of bill through angle .80, tarsus 3.05, middle toe (without claw) 2.40. Hab. Norton Sound, Alaska 46. L. nelsoni Hensh. Nelson's Gull. e^. Second quill deep ash-gray, either to the extreme tip, or else with very small white tip and small white spaces some distance from the tip, on one or both webs. Adult: Mantle pearl-gray, darker than in any of the pre- ceding. In winter, head and neck clouded (not streaked) with sooty gray. Young : Prevailing color deep ash- gray, nearly uniform, and inclining to plumbeous, be- low, but above relieved by a coarse irregular spotting of grayish white or pale dull buff, the head and neck indistinctly streaked with the same. Immature {second year?): Similar, bvit mantle mixed with pearl-gray, and lower parts with whitish. Length 23.70-27.75, wing 16.25-17.30, culmen 2.20-2.60, depth of bill through angle .80-.90, tarsus 2.35-2.90, middle toe (without claw) 2.05-2.45. Eggs 2.88-2.03. Hab. Coasts of the North Pacific and Bering's Sea, from Japan northward, across through Aleutian chain, and south, in winter, to California. 44. L. glaucescens Naum. Glaucous-winged Gull. Darker spaces on primaries black. e^ Shafts of primaries, in black subterminal spaces, white. Adult: Mantle dark slate, the primaries mostly black, with white tips and spots near end; rest of plumage pure white. In winter, top of head and hind-neck streaked with dusky. Young : Above dusky, the feath- ers bordered with pale buffy; quills blackish, with narrow whitish tips ; tail dusky, crossed by a narrow subterminal band of grayish, or brownish, white; head, neck, and lower parts white, the top of head and hind-neck streaked, the lower parts clouded or irregu- larly spotted with grayish brown. Downy young: Grayish white, the upper parts marbled or irregu- larly spotted with dull grayish ; head with numerous 28 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. irregular spots of blackish, the principal of which are two on the crown (one behind the other), four across the occiput, about three (small ones) on lores, the rest irregularly distributed. Length 28.00-31.00, wing 17.60-19.50, culmeu 2.40-2.60, depth of bill through angle .98-1.05, tarsus 2.70-3.10, middle toe 2.10-2.50. Eggs 3.05 X 2.12, the ground-color averaging deeper brownish and the spots larger than in L. glaucus. Hah. Coasts of the North Atlantic ; in America, south, in winter, to Long Island. 47. L. marinus Linn. Great Black-backed Gull. el Shafts of primaries black, except within the white spaces. p. Two outer primaries without distinct gray " wedges" on inner webs. g^. Angle of lower mandible very prominent, the depth of the bill through the angle being decidedly greater than at base ; middle toe, with claw, as long as tarsus. Summer adult : Mantle deep plum- beous. Winter adult : Top of head and hind-neck streaked with dusky; otherwise as in summer. Young : Above brownish slate, irregularly^ varied with grayish white ; quills and tail-feathers uni- form dull black, narrowly tipped with white ; lower parts brownish gray, clouded or irregularly spotted with grayish white, the breast and belly nearl}^ uniform grayish. Downy yowig : Grayish buffy white, the head with distinct black blotches of indefinite arrangement ; upper parts clouded or irregularly blotched with brownish dusky ; lower parts, except throat, immaculate. Length 24.00- 27.00, wing 15.75-17.00, culmen 2.00-2.35, depth of bill at angle .85-.95, tarsus 2.45-2.65, middle toe (without claw) 2.00-2.45. JS'^^s 2.87 X 1-94. Hah. Pacific coast of United States, south to Cape St. Lucas... 49. L. occidentalis Aud. Western Gull. g^. Angle of lower mandible not very prominent, the depth of the bill at angle being little if any greater than through base. In plumage not essentially different from L. occidentalis, but feet j^ellow, instead of flesh- colored, in life ; wing 16.00-17.00, culmen 2.00-2.10, ■ depth of bill through angle .60-.68, through base .60-.72, tarsus 2.18-2.68, middle toe 1.65-1.95. Hah. Northern Europe, south, in winter, to Africa. L. fuscus Linn. Lesser Black-backed Gull.^ 1 Larua fuscus Linn., S. N. ed. 10, i. 1758, 136, LARUS. 29 p. Second primary with a distinct gray wedge on inner web. g\ Dei^tli of bill through angle contained less than four and a half times in the length of the tarsus ; lower mandible with a red subterminal spot. h\ Mantle deep plumbeous -gray, inclining to slate- color. i\ Culmen 2.22 or more ; depth of bill at base .75 or more; third quill with a distinct white "mirror" or large spot on inner web between the black and the gray; mantle nearly the same color as in L. occidentalism but averaging a little darker ; rest of plumage (except primaries) pure white; feet dull purplish flesh-color in life ; length about 26.50, wing 16.75-18.00, culmen 2.15-2.35, depth of bill through angle .75-.90, at base .75-.82, tarsus 2.60- 2.75, middle toe (without claw) 2.08-2.40. Hab. Coast of northeastern Asia, from Japan (?) to Kamtschatka and north- ward to Arctic Ocean north of Bering's Strait 48. L. schistisagus Stejn. Slaty-backed Gull. s!^. Culmen 2.15 or less; depth of bill at angle .65; third quill without white spot on inner web between black and gray; mantle same color as in L. occidentalis, but apparently averaging a little paler; rest of plumage (except primaries) pure white ; feet yellow in life ; length about 20.00, wing 16.50-17.25, culmen 2.00-2.15, depth of bill at angle .62-.65, at base .65- .70, tarsus 2.60-2.72, middle toe 1.78-2.10.^ Hab. Northern Asia ; accidental in south- ern Greenland. 50. L. affinis Eeinh. Siberian Gull. liK Mantle light plumbeous-gray, or lighter. i^. Bill without black spots in adult. /. Mantle plumbeous-gray, or very deep pearl-gray ; eyelids (in life) orange- red, and feet j^ellow ; otherwise ex- actly like argentatus and smithso- nianus, with the markings of the 1 The specimens measured are all females. Males would somewhat exceed these dimensions. 30 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. primaries averaging intermediate ; length about 26.00, wing 15.15-18.30, culmen 1.90-2.20, depth of bill through angle .60-.80, tarsus 2.15- 2.20, middle toe (without claw) 1.60- 2.15. Hah. Southern Europe and central Asia, from the Mediterranean to Bering's, China, and Japan Seas, and down the North American coast to California, in winter 52. L. cachinnans Pall. Pallas's Gull. f. Mantle delicate pearl-gray, decidedly paler than in L. cachinnans ; eyelids (in life) yellow, and feet pale flesh- color. Young: Brownish gray, nearly uniform on lower parts, the head and neck streaked, and the upper parts irregularly varied with pale grayish buff or dull whitish ; quills, their coverts, and tail-feathers, dusky blackish ; bill blackish, paler basally. Downy young : Grayish white, the lower parts (except throat) immacu- late ; head marked with irregular spots of black ; back, wings, and rump clouded with dusky grayish. A\ White near end of outer quill usu- ally extending to extreme tip, without interruption by a sub- terminal black bar ; the latter, if present at all, usually very small and rarely continuous ; length about 23.00, wing 15.75-17.90 (16.38), culmen 1.85-2.20 (2.07), depth of bill through angle .72- .80 (.77), tarsus 2.30-2.72 (2.50), middle toe 1.90-2.25 (2.07). Eggs 2.91 X 1-98. Hab. Europe, etc.; casual in eastern North America ? 51. L. argentatus BrxInn. Herring Gull. A^ White near end of outer quill always separated from the white tip by a distinct subterminal bar or spot of black, this rarely less LARUS. 31 than .50 of an inch wide, and often extending to the extreme tip; length 22.50-26.00, wing 16.25-17.50 (17.24), culraen 1.95- 2.50 (2.24), depth of bill through angle .68-.85 (.79), tarsus 2.30- 2.80 (2.57), middle toe (without claw) 1.85-2.25 (2.10). Eggs 2.85 X 2.01. Hah. Whole of North America, south, in win- ter, to Cuba and Lower Califor- nia ; breeding from Maine, etc., northward 51a. L. argen- tatus smithsonianus Coues. American Herring Gull. i"^. Lower mandible with a black spot near end, the upper also sometimes with a black spot. Adult: Mantle deep plumbeous-gray, as in L. cachinnans ; bill yellow, with red spot near end of lower mandible, this enclosing, or adjacent to, a smaller black spot ; iris deep brown, and feet (in life) pale pea-green or sage-green. Young : Above coarsely spotted with brownish gray and pale grayish buff, or dull whitish, the quills and tail-feathers dull blackish ; head, neck, and lower parts mottled or clouded with grayish white or brownish gray ; bill dusky with black tip. Downy young : Grayish white, the head with irregular black spots, most numerous above; upper parts clouded with dusky grayish. Length 20.00-23.00, wing 15.00-16.75, culmen 1.65-2.15, depth of bill at angle .60- .75, tarsus 2.00-2.60, middle toe (with- out claw) 1.70-1.95. Eggs 2.61 X 1.80. Hab. Western North America, chiefly in the interior, from Mexico to Alaska 53. L. californicus Laavr. California Gull. g'^. Depth of bill through angle contained at least four and a half times in the length of the tarsus. 32 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. Bill with a black band near tiji. Adult : Mantle pale pearl-gray (much as in L. argentatus) ; bill greenish yellow, crossed near end by a very distinct black band, the tip sometimes tinged with orange ; iris pale yellow, eyelids vermil- ion-red ; feet (in life) pale yellow, some- times tinged with greenish. Young : Above brownish dusky, the feathers broadly bordered and otherwise varied with pale grayish buff or dull whitish ; quills blackish, the shorter ones bluish gray basally and tipped with white; tail with basal half (or more) pale grayish, the subterminal third (or more) blackish, the tip narroAvly white ; lower parts white, spotted along sides with grayish brown; bill blackish, paler toward base. Length 18.00-20.00, wing 13.60-15.75, cul- men 1.55-1.75, depth of bill at angle .50- .65, tarsus 1.90-2.45, middle toe (without claw) 1.30-1.60. ^^^s 2.39 X 1.71. Hab. Whole of North America, breeding far northward ; south, in winter, to Cuba and Mexico 54. L. delawarensis Ord. Ring-billed Gull. Bill without black in adult. /. Gray " wedge" on inner web of third quill never tipped with white, and not carried definitely farther than tip of sixth, usually not much beyond tip of seventh, quill. Adult : Mantle pearl-gray (about intermediate in shade between that of L. californicus and L. argentatus) ; rest of plumage, except quills, pure white. Young : Head and neck soiled whitish, striped with grayish brown ; back, scapulars, and wing-coverts dull grayish brown, margined with grayish white ; basal half of tail white, terminal half blackish or dusky, narrowly tipped with white ; lower parts dull white, spotted and otherwise marked with dull brown. Downy young : " Gov- LARUS. 33 ered all over with soft yellowish gray down, whiter in tint on the face, throat, and abdomen ; forehead blackish brown ; entire upper parts spotted here and there with large blackish spots, one or two spots be- ing also on the throat, under parts generally unspotted, except that on the flanks there are some irregular black marks. It may be distin- guished from the young of other Gulls by a large black spot which touches the base of the upper man- dible, and which is never absent, though often varying in size." (Dresser.) Length 17.00-18.50, wing 14.00-14.50 (14.30), culmen 1.35-1.60 (1.45), depth of bill through angle .38-.50 (.44), tarsus 1.90-2.25 (2.02), middle toe 1.32-1.65 (1.43). Eggs 2.29 X 1-59. Hah. Northern portions of eastern hemisphere ; ac- cidental in Labrador? 56. Lr. canus Linn. Mew Gull. J^ Gray wedge on inner web of third quill always terminated with white, and this carried beyond tip of the sixth — often even beyond the tip of the fifth — quill ; even the second quill often with a white spot at end of the gray " wedge" on inner web ; plu- mage of adult otherwise as in L. canus, but black of primaries much more restricted. Nearly adult : Sim- ilar to the adult in every respect except coloration of the primaries, which have the dark spaces slaty or very dull blackish, instead of deep black, and more extended, the white tips of some of the quills wanting ; tail sometimes (in younger individu- als) more or less blotched with dusky at tip, and upper coverts sometimes (in still younger birds) faintly barred with grayish brown. Young : Above 34 NORTH AMERICAN, BIRDS. grayish brown, the feathers bordered with pale grayish buff; rump and upper tail-coverts pale grayish buff or dull buffy white, marked more or less distinctly with irregular grayish brown spots ; basal half of tail gray- ish white, or pale grayish, trans- versely mottled with darker, the terminal portion dusky grayish brown, forming a well-defined broad band, the extreme tip whitish ; head, neck, and lower parts nearly uniform light brownish gray. Older: Similar, but light borders to feathers of back, etc., purer white ; basal half of tail uniform grayish white ; lower parts white, the breast and sides spotted with light grayish brown ; upper parts more or less tinged with the pearl -gray of the adult plumage. Length 16.50-18.00, wing 13.20-14.50 (13.93), culmen 1.25-1.70 (1.45), depth of bill through angle .40-.50 (.45), tarsus 1.70-2.10 (1.94), middle toe ' 1.30-1.55 (1.44). Eggs 2.29 X 1-61. Hab. Northwestern North America, breeding far north ; south, in winter, along Pacific coast to southern Cali- fornia 55. L. brachyrhynchus EicH. Short-billed Gull. h"^. Under wing-coverts entirely uniform brownish gray, like outer surface of wings; under parts, rump, etc., brownish gray, and tail black, at all seasons and ages. Summer adult : Head and upper neck white ; tail black, tipped with white ; quills black ; upper parts, uniform plumbeous-slate, the secondaries broadly tipped with white ; lower parts uniform deep ash-gray ; bill bright red in life. Winter adult : Similar, but head dusky (darker than body). Young: Sooty grayish brown, the feathers of the upper parts bordered with grayish white or pale buff. Immature (second year ?) : Entire plumage uniform sooty grayish brown, the tail and quills dusky. Length 17.50-21.00, wing 13.50, culmen 1.50. Hab. Pacific coast of North America, from British Columbia to Panama. 57. L. heermanni Cass. Heermann's Gull. a'. Head uniform black or dusky in summer. (Lower neck, entire under parts, LARUS. 35 rump, upper tail-coverts, and tail, uniform pure white, more or less rose- tinted in breeding season ; mantle some shade of gi'a}'.) ¥. Tarsus much longer than middle toe, with claw. Summer adult : Head sooty slate-color ; mantle plumbeous-slate ; five outer primaries entirely black, or sometimes with a small terminal spot of white ; rest of quills plumbeous, tipped with white, the sixth sometimes with a subterminal black spot; bill and feet (in life) dark brownish red. Winter adult : Head and neck white, the oc- ciput and ear-coverts spotted or mottled with brownish gray, the eyes more or less surrounded by the same ; otherwise as in summer. Young : Head, neck, breast, and sides nearly uniform brownish gray, darker on occiput and hind-neck, tinged with buff beneath ; mantle grayish brown, the feathers broadly bordered with pale grayish buff; centre of rump light brownish gray; rest of rump, with upper tail- coverts and posterior lower pai'ts, white ; basal half of tail light gray, subterminal portion black, the tip narrowly white. Downy young : Above graj' ish fulvous, varying to umber-brown, the head irregularly striped or spotted, the back, wings, and rump marbled, with dusky ; lower parts paler, the breast and belly more ochreous, the fore-neck, sides, flanks, and ventral region faintly mottled with darker. Length 15.00-17.00, wing 13.00, tail 5.00, culmen 1.75, tarsus 2.00, middle toe, with claw, 1.50. Eggs 2.18 X 1-55. Hab. Atlantic coast of United States, south, in winter, through West Indies and along both coasts of Middle America, and as far as the lower Ama- zon 58. L. atricilla Linn. Laughing Gull. 6^ Tarsus not longer than middle toe, with claw. c\ Wing more than 10.00 ; culmen more than 1.00. d^. Bill brownish or reddish, its depth through the angle more than one-fourth the culmen. Summer adult : Bill bright red (in life), with more or less distinct darker subterminal band ; head deep plumbeous-black, with a white spot on each ej^elid ; mantle deep plumbeous; quills bluish gray, the shafts white, all broadly tipped with white, and the five outer ones marked with a sub- terminal space of black; lower parts deeply tinted (in fresh specimens) with rose-pink, and middle tail-feather tinged with pearl-gray. Winter adult : Similar, but head white, the occi- put, region round eyes, and ear-coverts, grayish dusky ; bill and feet duller red. Young : Top and sides of head (except forehead and lores), with back and scapulars, grayish brown, the longer scapulars bordered terminally with pale grayish buff; quills dusky (inner webs more plumbeous), tipped Avith white ; centre of rump bluish gray ; rest of rump, with upper tail-coverts, entire lower parts, forehead, lores, and eyelids, white. Length 13.50-15.00, wing 11.25, culmen 1.30, depth of bill at nostrils .35, tarsus .60, middle toe, with claw, 1.60. Eggs 2.11 X 1-53. Hab. 36 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. Interior of North America, breeding from Iowa northward ; in winter, south through Middle America and western South America, to Peru. 59. L. franklinii Sw. & Rich. Franklin's Gull. cP. Bill deep black, its depth through the angle less than one-fourth the length of the culmen. Summer adult : Head dark plumbeous ; mantle delicate pale pearl-gray ; three outer quills chiefly white, the outer web of the first and terminal portion of all, black ; rest of quills pale pearl-gray, tipped with white, the fifth and sixth marked with a subterminal black space ; rest of plumage pure white ; feet rich orange-red in life. Winter adult : Head white, the occiput tinged with grayish, the ear-coverts marked with a dusky spot ; otherwise, as in summer, but feet (in life) pale flesh-color. Young : Sides of head and neck, with entire lower parts, upper tail-coverts, and basal two-thirds of tail, white ; top of head and upper back brownish gray ; a dusky spot on ear-covex'ts ; scapulars and feathers of back grayish brown, tipped with pale buff; central lesser wing-coverts dusky brownish gray; rest of wing-coverts, greater part of inner primai'ies, with upper part of rump, bluish gray ; band across end of tail black or dusky, the tip narrowly white. Length about 12.00-14.00, wing 10.25, culmen 1.20, depth of bill at nostrils .25, tarsus 1.40, middle toe, with claw, 1.40. Eggs 1.95 X 1-34. Hab. Whole of North America, breeding far north- ward ; in winter, not yet recorded from south of the United States, though reported from Bermudas. 60. L. Philadelphia Ord. Bonaparte's Gull, c'. Wing much less than 10.00 ; culmen less than 1.00. Summer adult : Head deep black ; mantle delicate pale pearl-gray, the quills similar, tipped with white and usually without black markings. Winter adidt : Head white, the occiput tinged with gray, and ear-coverts with a dusky spot ; otherwise as in sum- mer. Young : Forehead, lores, cheeks, entire lower parts, upper tail-coverts, and greater part of tail, white ; occij)ut, ear-coverts, and most of upper parts sooty blackish, the feathers (except on head and neck) bordered terminally with pale buff. Length 10.40-11.50, wing 8.75-9.00, culmen .90, tarsus 1.00, middle toe (without claw) .90. Hab. Europe and parts of Asia and Africa ; accidental in Bermudas and eastern Arctic America ? Larus minutus^ Pall. Little Gull. 1 Lams minutus Pall., Keis. Russ. Reichs, iii. App. No. 35, 1771, 702. XEMA. 37 Genus RHODOSTETHIA Macgillivray. (Page 23, pi. VII., fig. 3.) Species. Slimmer adult : Mantle and under surface of wing uniform pale pearl-gray, the secondaries and innermost quills very broadly tipped with pinkish white, and outer web of first quill chiefl}^ black ; rest of plumage white, usually more or less (sometimes very strongly) tinged with delicate peach-blossom pink, the middle of the neck encircled by a narrow black collar. Winter adult : Similar, but black col- lar absent, a blackish spot immediately in front of eye, and top of head tinged with pearl-gray. Young, second summer f Similar to summer adult (including collar), but smaller wing-coverts, inner secondaries, primary-coverts, alulse, and adjacent small feathers, together with three outer quills, blackish, the inner web of the latter, how- ever, with marginal half pearl-gray ; remaining quills pearl-gray, becoming white on innermost quills, and all of them tipped with black ; third, fourth, and fifth tail- feathers broadly tipped with black. Young : Back and scapulars heavily spotted or clouded with dusky or sooty blackish, this color prevailing on lower back, where the feathers have bufliy tips ; top of head and hind-neck also clouded with dusky ; middle tail-feathers with the end sooty black for about .85, the succeeding feathers on each side tipped with black in decreasing extent to the third, which has but a slight mottling of dusky at extreme tij) ; wing-coverts dusky, or sooty, tipped with pale buffy; two innermost quills pure white, the rest parti-colored; head, neck, and lower parts chiefly white, marked anteriorly (except on chin and throat) with narrow bars of dusky; Length 11.50-14.00, wing 9.50-10.50, tail 4.00-5.50 (gradu- ated for .75-1.25), culmen .65-.75, tarsus 1.20-1.25, middle toe 1.00-1.05. Egg (single specimen) 1.90 X 1-30, in color like that of Xema sabinii (fide Seebohm. P. Z. S. 1886, 82). Hab. Arctic Ocean, south, in autumn or winter, to northern Alaska, Kamtschatka, Disco Bay, Faroes, Heligoland, and (accidentally) England. 61. R. rosea (Macgil.). Ross's Gull. Genus XEMA Leach. (Page 23, pi. IX., figs. 1, 2.) Species. o}. Culmen much shorter than tarsus ; tail forked for not more than the length of the tarsus ; wing not more than 11.25 ; legs and feet black. (Subgenus Xema?) Summer adult : Head and upper neck uniform plumbeous, bordered below by a black collar; mantle deep bluish gray; quills black, the five in- nermost ones varied with white and plumbeous ; rest of plumage white ; bill black, tipped with yellowish. Winter adult: Similar, but head and neck white, except ear-coverts and back of head and neck, which are dull dusky plumbeous. Young : Mantle brownish gray, each feather darker subtermi- nally, and margined at tip with pale fulvous or buffy ; tail white, with a broad black band near end, this again narrowly tipped with white; upper tail- coverts and entire lower parts white. Downy young {fide Middendorff) ; 38 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. Upper parts rusty yellow, spotted with black ; lower parts whitish gray. Length 13.00-14.00, wing 10.10-11.15, tail 4.50-5.00 (forked for about .60- 1.00), culmcn 1.00, tarsus 1.25, middle toe, with claw, about 1.25. ^ggs 2-5, 1.78 X 1-26, ovate, or short-ovate, deep olive (varying in intensity, however), rather indistinctly spotted or blotched with brown. Sab. Arctic regions ; in North America south, in winter, to New York, the Great Lakes, and Great Salt Lake (casually to Bermudas and Peru). 62. X. sabinii (Sab.). Sabine's Gull. a^. Culmen nearly as long as tarsus ; tail forked for at least one and a half times the length of the tarsus; wing about 16.00; legs and feet red. (Subgenus Creagrus Bonap.). Summer adult : Head and upper part of neck sooty slate, with a whitish patch at base of bill ; mantle pearl-gray, the wing- coverts and outer webs of scapulars whitish ; quills black, the shorter ones tipped with white ; rest of plumage white ; bill black, with yellowish tip ; legs and feet bright red. Young : Plumage generally, including head and neck, white ; hind-neck, back, and scapulars, ashy brown, the tips of the feathers margined with white ; tail-feathers (except outermost) with a black subter- minal spot ; a dusky space immediately in front of eye, and another on ear- coverts. Length about 23.00, wing 16.00, tail 8.00 (forked for about 3.30), culmen 1.85, tarsus 1.90, middle toe, with claw, 2.00. Hah. Pacific coast of South America ; Monterey, California ? — . X. furcata (Neb.\ Swallow-tailed Gull. Genus GELOCHELIDON Brehm. (Page 24, pi. IX., fig. 4.) Species. Summer adult : Top of head and hind-neck deep black ; upper pai'ts pale pearl- gray, rest of plumage pure white ; bill deep black, feet blackish. Winter adult : Similar, but head and neck white, the hind-neck tinged with grayish, the ear- coverts and spot in front of aye darker grayish. Young : Similar to winter adult, but upper parts washed with buff or clay-color, the top of head, hind-neck, back, and scapulars sometimes streaked with dusky. Doiony young : Above light gray- ish buff, with several large and tolerably well defined dusky spots on hinder half of head, a distinct dusky stripe down each side of hind-neck and upper back, the wings, rump, and flanks with rather distinct large spots of dusky; lower parts white, tinged with grayish on sides of throat ; bill brownish, inclining to orange (in life) on lower mandible ; feet dull brownish orange (in life). Length 13.00-15.25, wing 11.75-12.25, tail 5.50 (forked for 1.50-1.75), culmen 1.40, depth of bill at base .45. Nest along sea-beach, in sand or shingle. Eggs 1.84 X 1-33, ovate, light buffy, varying to pale olive-buffy, distinctly spotted and blotched with deep brown and lavender-grayish. Hah. Nearly cosmopolitan ; in America, Atlantic side, from Brazil north to Long Island, casually to Massachusetts; very rare inland; both coasts of southern Mexico and Central America in winter. 63. G. nilotica (Hasselq.). Gull-billed Tern. STERNA. 39 Genus STERNA Linn^us. (Page 24, pi. X., figs. 1-3 ; pi. XI., figs. 1, 2.) Sjpecies. Wing more than 9.00. h\ VYing more than 12.00. &. Tail much less than half as long as wing, forked for less than one-fifth its total length ; feathers of occiput short, blended ; depth of bill at base equal to neai'ly one-third the exposed culmen ; inner webs of quills entirel}'- gray, or slaty. (Subgenus Thalasseus Kaup.) Adult in spring : Above pale pearl -gray, becoming white on tail, and more silvery gray on quills ; whole top of head, and nape, uniform glossy black ; rest of plumage pure white ; bill coral- red (drying orange-red) with dusky tinge near tip ; feet black. Adult immediately after pairing season : Similar to spring plu- mage, but black on top of head mixed with white. Winter adult : Similar to summer adult, but black of crown, etc., streaked, instead of speckled or flecked, with grayish white. Young : Above pale grayish, marked with a few roundish and more or less hastate spots of dusky, largest on tertials ; top of head grajnsh white, the crown flecked with black, this color increasing in extent posteriorly, until nearly uniform on occi- put ; tail-feathers marked with a dusky subterminal spot ; re^t of plumage white ; bill dull orange-reddish. Downy young : Above grayish white, the down of the head dusky gray beneath the surface ; back and rump finely and indistinctly mottled with grayish ; throat and fore-neck uniform pale grayish, rest of lower parts white. Length 19.00-22.50, wing 15.00-17.40, tail 5.30-6.75 (forked for about .75-1.60), culmen 2.48-3.10, depth of bill through base .75-.95, tarsus ,1.60-1.90, middle toe 1.15-1.40. I^est (usually solitarj') a depression in sand near sea-shore. Eggs 2-3, 2.66 X 1-77, ovate or elliptical-ovate, pale grayish buff, varying to olive-buff or dull whitish buff, more or less spotted with brown and stone-gray or lavender-gray. Hab. North America in general, but rare on Pacific coast; breeding in isolated and widely separated localities throughout its range. (Also occurs in various portions of eastern hemisphere, includ- ing Australia.) 64. S. tschegrava Lepech. Caspian Tern. c^. Tail more than half as long as wing, forked for at least half its total length ; feathers of occiput lengthened, lanceolate, forming a dis- tinct crest ; depth of bill at base much less than one-third the length of the exposed culmen ; inner webs of quills with inner margin ab- ruptly and broadly white. (Subgenus Actochelidon Kaup.) d^. Bill deep orange, or orange-red. e^. Depth of bill at base more than one-fourth the length of the exposed culmen. Adult in spring : Above pale pearl-gray, 40 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. paler (nearly white) on upper tail-coverts and tail ; whole top of head, including occipital crest, glossy black ; rest of plumage pure white ; bill deep orange, feet blackish. Adult just after pairing season : Similar, but forehead and forepart of crown white, only the occipital crest and hinder part of crown being uniform black. Winter plumage : Similar to summer plumage, but black of occiput also mixed more or less with white, and bill paler orange. Young : Somewhat like winter adult, but upper parts sparsely spotted with dusky brown, these spots largest on tertials ; tail-feathers brownish or dusky near tips ; top of head speckled white and dusky, the occipital crest but slightly developed; bill dull orange. Length 18.00-21.00, wing 14.00-15.00, tail 6.00-8.00, forked for about half its total length ; culmen 2.40-2.75, depth of bill at base .65-.75, tarsus 1.35-1.45. JS'est (usually many together) a depression in sand, near sea-shore. Eggs 1-3 or 4, 2.61 X 1-78, ovate, elongate- ovate, or subacute-ovate, buffy, cream-color, or whitish, handsomely spotted (sometimes lined) with dark brown or black, these markings usually suffused exteriorly with light brown and purplish gray. Hab. Coasts and larger inland waters of United States, and southward, breeding north to about 40° 65. S. maxima Bodd. Royal Tern. e*. Depth of bill at base less than one-fourth (about one-fifth) the length of the exposed culmen ; plumage same as that of S. maxima, but lower parts very deeply tinged with rose-, or peach-blossom, pink, and occipital crest more developed; length about 16.00-17.00, wing 12.40-12.50, tail 6.60-7.30, forked for about 2.60-3.50 ; culmen 2.25-2.55, depth of bill through base .45-.50, tarsus 1.05-1.25. Eggs 2.15 X 1-45, ovate, creamy white, boldl}^ spotted (chiefly round larger end) with black and various shades of rich warm brown. Hab. Pacific coast of Middle America, north to San Fran- cisco, California 66. S. elegans Game. Elegant Tern. (P. Bill deep black, usually with yellowish or whitish tip ; plumage the same as in *S^. maxima and S. elegans, but usually less pinkish beneath than the latter ; length 14.00-16.00, wing about 12.50, tail 6.00 (forked for about 2.35), culmen 2.25, depth of bill at base .48, tarsus 1.00. Nest a depression in sand by sea-shore. Eggs 1.99 X 1-38, ovate, white, buffy, or rich cream-color, handsomely but variously marked (often with zigzag lines) with different shades of rich brown, black, etc. Hab. South Atlantic and Gulf coasts of United States, north to southern New England; south, in winter, to "West Indies and Middle America (both coasts). 67. S. sandvicensis acuflavidus (Cabot). Cabot's Tern. STERNA. 41 U^. Wing less than 12.00 ; occipital feathers short and blended. c\ Mantle bluish gray, the tail chiefly white ; inner webs of quills largely white. (Subgenus Sterna.) d^. Top of head without any black at any season. Adult in summer : Head, axillars, lining of wing, and tail- coverts, white, the first with a dusky stripe along each side, entirely surrounding eye, and extending back over ear-coverts ; rest of plumage pale pearl-gray, the quills inclining to silvery white ; bill black in middle portion, the base and tip yellowish. Winter plumage : Similar, but lower parts white ; bill dusky, tij^ped with yellowish. Length 15.00-16.00, wing 9.70-10.60, tail 4.60-6.00 (forked for about 1.60-2.60), culmen 1.50-1.70, tarsus .92-.96. Hab. Atlantic coast of South America ; casual on Atlantic coast of United States (New Jersey). 68. S. trudeaui Aud. Trudeau's Tern. d'^. Top of head chiefly or entirely uniform black in summer. e\ Top of head entirely black in summer. p. Only one web of outer tail-feather entirely white. g^. Inner web of outer tail-feather grayish or dusky toward end, the outer web entirely white. Smn- mer adult : Above pale pearl-gray, lower parts pure white ; entire toj) of head and nape uniform deep black ; bill (in life) dull orange, dusky at tip , feet fine orange-red. Winter plumage: Similar, but whole top of head white, tinged on occiput and nape with grayish, the side of the head with a dusky stripe surrounding eyes and extending across ear-coverts ; tail shorter and less deeply forked than in summer, the exterior feathers broader and less elongated ; bill duller orange, and feet much less intense red ; bill dusky or dull brownish orange, darker at tip. Young : Similar to winter plumage, but top of head, hind-neck, back, scapulars, tertials, and wing-coverts over- laid by a wash of umber-brown, nearly uniform on back and crown ; sides of head tinged with same; tail-feathers all distinctly dusky terminally, especi- ally on inner webs. Doivny young : Light brown- ish buff, the breast and belly whitish ; upper parts coarsely and irregularly marbled with black, the sides of the head with a few scattered small mark- ings of the same. Length about 14.00-15.00, wing 9.50-10.30, tail 5.00-7.70 (forked for 2.30-5.00), culmen 1.50-1.65, tarsus .90-1.00. Nest of dead 6 42 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. grasses, etc., in marshes (fresh- or salt-water), often upon " windi'ows" of sea- weed. Eggs 1.78 X 1-23, ovate or short-ovate, vaiying from olive-buff to olive-brown, coarsely spotted or blotched with dark brown or blackish. Hah. Temperate North America, north to Manitoba, south, in winter, to Brazil. 69. S. forsteri Nutt. Forster's Tern. g*. Inner web of outer tail-feather entirely white, the outer web dusky, in abrupt contrast. /i,^ Summer adult : Lower parts pale lavender-gray, or grajash white ; whole top of head and nape deep black ; rest of upper parts deep pearl- gray, the rump, upper tail-coverts, and greater part of tail pure white ; bill bright vermilion- red, blackish at tip ; feet (in life) rich orange- vermilion. Winter adult: Similar, but fore- head, crown, and anterior part of lores white, mixed with black on crown ; entire lower parts pure white ; bill and feet less intensely red. Young : Orbital region, occiput, and nape, dull black; crown mixed blackish and grayish white ; forehead, lores, entire lower parts, upper tail-coverts, inner webs of rectri- ces, and tips of secondaries, white ; rest of upper parts pale pearl-gray, the scapulars, interscapulars, and tertials, tipped with pale buff, and marked with a subterminal cres- centic spot, or lunule, of dusky brown ; an- terior lesser wing-coverts dusky, forming a distinct bar across wing ; bill brownish dusky, the base of mandible paler and more reddish ; feet pale reddish. Downy young : Above pale fulvous or grayish buff (the precise shade very variable) coarsely and irregularly mar- bled with dusky, except on forehead ; lower parts white, more or less tinged with buff or pale fulvous on sides and flanks, the throat and cheeks distinctly dusky, or grayish. Length 13.00-16.00, wing 9.75-11.75, tail 5.00- 7.00 (forked for 3.50, more or less), culmen 1.25-1.50, depth of bill at base about .33, tar- sus .66-85. Nest usually a depression in sand or gravel near sea-shore. Eggs 2-4, 1.57 X 1.17, averaging a little paler in ground- STERNA. ^3 color and less heavily.blotched than those of S. forsteri. Hab. Eastern temperate North Amer- ica, and various parts of eastern hemisphere. 70. S. hirundo Linn. Common Tern. A'. Summer adult : Lower parts deep lavender-gray, changing to white only on lower tail-coverts and on sides of head adjacent to the black cap ; upper parts deep pearl-gray, the tips of secondaries, rump, upper tail-coverts, and tail pure white, in marked contrast; bill rich car- mine, usually without distinct blackish tip; feet intense carmine. Winter adult : Similar, but lower parts white (sometimes tinged with grayish), and forehead, crown, and fore part of lores white, the crown streaked or mixed with black. Young : Orbital region, occiput, and hind part of crown dull black ; forehead, anterior part of lores, and crown white, the latter stained with brown and mixed with blackish ; feathers of dorsal region and wino-s tipped with pale buff and marked with a sub- terminal crescent or lunule of brownish dusky, these markings larger on tertials and longer scapulars, and smaller on back ; lower rump, upper tail-coverts, and entire lower parts, white, the chin, throat, and sides of jugulum and breast, stained with pale dull brownish ; basal half of bill dull orange-red, terminal portion blackish ; feet light reddish. Doiony young: Similar to that of S. hirundo, but usually darker colored. Length 14.00-17.00, wing 10.00-10.75, tail 6.50-8^50 (forked for 4.00-5.00), culmen 1.08-1.40, depth of bill through base 30, tarsus .55-.65, middle toe, with claw, .80-.85. Eggs 1.62 X 1-15, not distinguishable with certainty from those of S. hirundo, but usually with darker ground- color and heavier spotting. Hab. Circum- polar regions, south, in winter, to Middle States and California; on Atlantic coast breeding south to Massachusetts. 71. S. paradisaea Brunn. Arctic Tern. g^. Both webs of outer tail-feathers entirely white. Summer adidt : Above delicate pale pearl-gray, fading into silvery white on upper tail-coverts 44 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. and tail ; lower parts exquisitely delicate pale peach-blossom pink, fading into pure white in dried skins ; entire top of head, with nape, uni- form deep black ; bill black, tinged at base (in life) with reddish ; feet bright red in life. Winter adult : Similar, but forehead and anterior part of crown white, the latter tinged with grayish and indistinctl}'' streaked with blackish. Young : Pileum and nape pale buffy grayish, finely mottled or spi-inkled with darker, and streaked, especial!}" on crown, with dusky ; or- bital and auricular regions dusky blackish ; remainder of head, and entire lower parts, white, the nape and sometimes side of breast finely mottled with buffy gray; pale pearl-gray of back and scapulars overlaid b}" pale buff, irregu- larly mottled with dusky, each feather with a submarginal dusky U-shaped mark; bill brown- ish dusky; feet dusky (in dried skins). Length 14.00-17.00, wing 9.25-9.75, tail 7.25-7.75 (forked for 3.50-4.50), culmen 1.50, depth of bill at base .35, tarsus .85, middle toe .75. Eggs 2-4, 1.66 X 1.21, similar to those of S. paradiscea, but ground- color averaging lighter and markings smaller. Hab. Atlantic coast of United States ; West Indies, and various parts of Old World. 72. S. dougalli Montag. Roseate Tern. e^ Top of head black, with a broad white patch on forehead, ex- tending backward on each side of crown to above eyes ; a black stripe across lores. Summer adult : Above deep plumbeous-gray, beneath paler, more lavender-graj^ ; tips of secondaries, upper and lower tail-coverts, tail, sides of head, chin, under wing coverts and axillars pure white; bill and feet entirely deep black. Winter adult, unknown. Young : Forehead, lores, crown, and entire nape, smoky gray- ish brown, deepening on occiput into dark sooty, this color extending laterally nearly or quite to eye ; the smoke-color of nape extending laterally over side of neck and breast, or sometimes even tingeing the jugu- lum and fore-neck ; back, scapulars, inner wing-coverts, and tertials dull slate-blackish, broadly and sharply bordered terminally with yellowish ochraceous ; upper rump dark brownish slate, feathers narrowly tipped with pale fulvous, this preceded by a dusky subter- STERNA. 45 minal bar; lower rump and upper tail-coverts plum- beous-gray, the longer feathers tipped with buff; ree- trices pale bluish gray, the feathers becoming dusky subterminally ; lower parts, except as described, white; maxilla dusky, mandible light reddish (brownish in dried skins), the terminal third or fourth dusky ; legs and feet light reddish. Length 13.25-15.00, wing 9.75-10.75, tail 6.50-7.00 (forked for 2.40-3.75), culmen 1.25-1.40, depth of bill at base .38, tarsus, .60-.75, middle toe .80-.85. Eggs 1.69 X 1-12, similar to those of *S^. paradiscea, but averaging rather deeper in ground- color, with larger markings. Hab. Eastern Aleutian Islands and northward along coast to or beyond Norton Sound. 73. S. aleutica Baird. Aleutian Tern. c^. Mantle and six to ten middle tail-feathers slaty or blackish ; inner webs of quills entirely dusky. (Subgenus Haliplana Wagler.) d}. Adult: Upper parts, including hind-neck, continuously uniform sooty black, the outer pair of tail-feathers chiefly white ; fore- head, sides of head, and entire lower parts white, sometimes faintly tinged with bluish gray posteriorly ; bill and feet deep black. Young: Entirely dark sooty brown, more grayish on lower parts, the anal region and under wing-coverts white ; scapulars and wing-coverts narrowly but distinctly tipped with white. Downy young : " Head, neck, throat, and entire upper parts, dark gray with a silvery tinge, closely dotted with gray- ish white ; rest of under parts white." (Dresser.) Length 15.00-17.00, wing 12.00, tail 7.00-7.50 (forked for about 3.00- 3.50), culmen 1.80, tarsus 1.00. Eggs (deposited on rocks or ground, usually without nest) 2.02 X 1-40, white, creamy white, or cream-color spotted with rich chestnut, usually mixed with fainter spots of purplish gray. Hab. Tropical and subtropical sea-coasts of both hemispheres; in North America, north to the Carolinas and western Mexico, casually to New England. 75. S. fuliginosa Gmel. Sooty Tern. d^. Adult : Lower hind-neck and upper back gi'ayish white, deepening into brownish slate on wings, etc., and deep black on top of head ; forehead, sides of head, and entire lower parts pure white ; two outer pairs of tail-feathers white ; bill and feet black. Young : Entire lower parts, with cheeks, forehead, and sides of crown, white, as in adult ; nape, occiput, and middle of crown brownish dusky ; the last streaked M^ith grayish white ; upper parts gi'ayish brown ; the scapulars, interscapu- lars, and tertials margined terminally with grayish white. Length about 14.00-15.00, wing 10.50, tail 6.00-7.00, culmen 46 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 1.40-1. GO, depth of bill at base .35-.40, tarsus .85. Hah. Tropi- cal sea-coasts in general ; accidental on Florida coast. 76. S. anaethetus Scop. Bridled Tern. a?. Wing less than 7.00. Tail about half as long as wing, forked for about half its length. (Subgenus Sternula Boie.) Swnwier adult : Above uniform pale pearl-gray ; lower parts, with forehead and stripe on each side of crown, back and above eyes, pure white ; stripe from bill to eye, with crown, occiput, and nape, uniform deep black ; bill bright yellow, usually with blackish tip ; feet bright orange- yellow (in life). Winter adult : Similar to summer plumage, but lores, forehead, and crown grayish white (pure white anteriorly) ; bill dull yellowish, or dusky ; feet pale yellow. Young : Somewhat like winter adult, but lesser wing-coverts chiefly dusky slate (forming distinct patch), scapulai's and interscapulars with submarginal V- or U-shaped marks of dusky, and quills darker. Downy young : Above grayish white, varying to delicate buff'-yellow, sometimes immaculate, but usuall}' finely mottled with dusky grayish, the head distinctly marked with irregular dots of blackish ; lower parts wholly immaculate white. Length 8.50- 9.75, wing 6.60, tail 3.50 (forked for about 1.75), culmen 1.20, tarsus .60. Nest a depression in shingly beach. Eggs 2-4, 1.28 X 0.91, white, buffy white, or buff, spotted with brown and purplish gray. Hah. United States (rather southerly) south, in winter, through Middle America (both coasts) to northern coasts of South America. 74. S. antillarum Less. Least Tern. Genus HYDROCHELIDON Boie. (Page 24, pi. XIL, fig. 2.) Species. a^. "Wing less than 9.00. Head wholly dusky or black in summer adult. h^. Tail and upper coverts deep gray or plumbeous. Summer adult : Head, neck, and lower parts uniform black or plumbeous, the lower tail-coverts, however, white ; upper parts uniform plum- beous. Winter adult : Head, neck, and lower parts white, the orbits and ear-coverts dusky ; above as in summer. Young : Similar to winter adult, but feathers of back, etc., tipped with dull brownish, anterior lesser wing-coverts dusky, and sides washed with plumbe- ous. Downy young : Above umber-brown, with a few coarse, irreg- ular mottlings of black ; forehead, crown, throat, and chest plain sooty brown ; side of head, including lores, dull whitish ; belly white centrally, sooty gray exteriorly, c'. Summer adult with lower parts (sometimes head also) plumbeous, little if any darker than upper surface. Hab. Europe, and parts of Asia and Africa. H. nigra (Linn.). Black Tern.i 1 Sterna nigra Linn., S. N. ed. 10, i. 1758, 137. Hydrochelidon nigra Boie, Isis, 1822, 563. ANOUS. 47 c^. Summer adult with lower parts always black or very dark plumbeous, much darker than upper surface ; length 9.00-10.25, wing 8.25, tail 3.75 (forked for .90), culmen 1.10. Nest in marshes. Eggs 1.35 X 0.98, brownish buff or olive-buff, heavily spotted and blotched with dark brown. Hab. Temperate North America, south, in winter, to South America, as far as Brazil and Chili. 77. H. nigra surinamensis (Gmel.). American Black Tern. b^. Tail and upper coverts white, sometimes tinged with gray. Summer adult: Head, neck, and lower parts black, the under tail- coverts white ; upper parts plumbeous, more silver}^ on wings, the anterior lesser coverts being white; legs and feet bright red (diying brownish). Young : " Posterior portion of the crown, a patch on the side of the head, and one on the hind-neck dark sooty gray, the feathers with lighter margins, the patch on the hind-neck with brownish markings ; rest of the head, neck, and entire under parts pure white; back and scapulars blue-gray, broadly tipped with blackish gray ; wings as in the adult in winter, but the wing- coverts tipped with light reddish brown ; rump and upper tail- coverts white ; tail light French gra}^, becoming darker towards the tip." (Dresser.) Downy young : " Upper parts warm reddish buff, boldly marked with black on the crown, nape, back, wings, and rump ; under parts grayish buff with a sooty tinge, marked with sooty gray on the upper throat ; space round the eye nearly white." (Dresser.) Length about 9.50, wing 7.60-8.20, tail 2.80- 3.25, culmen .90-.95. Nest in marshes. Eggs 1.36 X 0.99, essen- tially similar in coloration to those of H. nigr'a surinamensis. Hab. Europe, etc. ; accidental (?) in North America (Lake Koshkonong, Wisconsin). 78. H. leucoptera (Temm.). "White-winged Black Tern, a*. "Wing more than 9.00. Head with a broad white stripe on each side, in summer adult. Summer adult : Top of head and hind-neck black ; broad stripe on side of head (from chin and corner of mouth to behind ear-coverts), lower tail-coverts, and under wing-coverts white ; rest of plumage uniform plum- beous. Hab. Europe, etc. ; accidental in West Indies. H. leucopareia (Natt.). Whiskered Tern.^ Genus ANOUS Leach. (Page 24, pi. XII., fig. 1.) Species. Common Characters. — Plumage uniform sooty brownish, becoming hoary on forehead or top of head. Nest on ti-ees or bushes around borders of oceanic islands, rather bulky, composed of sticks, etc. Egg single (usually, at least), buffy or buffy 1 Sterna leucopareia Natt., in Temm. Man. 1820, 726. Hydrochelidon leucopareia Gould, Handb. B. Austr. ii. 1865, 406. 48 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. whitish, sparsely speckled or spotted, chiefly round larger end, with brown and purplish gray. ai. Lores dusky, in abrupt and marked contrast with the hoary of the forehead. h^. Only the forehead distinctly whitish. Uniform sooty brown, becoming gradually grayer on neck, and pass- ing gradually through intermediate shades to white on forehead; quills nearly black. Young (?) : Similar, but head uniform grayish brown, the frontlet hoary grayish. Length 13.00-16.35, wing 10.00- 10.50, tail 6.00, culmen 1.75, depth of bill at base .38. ^gg averaging 2.06 X 1-37. Hab. Intertropical seas generally, also coast of south- ern Atlantic and Gulf States 79. A. stolidus (Linn.). Noddy. b^. Whole top of head distinctly whitish. c\ White of crown changing gradually into ashy on hind-neck ; plumage of body, etc., sooty brown. Hab. Intertropical seas and coasts generally, including Gulf coast of Mexico. A. melanogenys Gray. Black-cheeked Noddy.^ c^. White of crown abruptly defined against sooty brown of hind-neck ; plumage of body, etc., sooty black. Hab. Southwestern Pacific. A. leucocapillus Gould. White-crowned Noddy.* al Lores hoary whitish, like forehead. Hoary ash of occiput and hind-neck changing gradually into sooty brown on chin and throat, the cheeks being grayish. Hab. Indian Ocean. A. tenuirostris (Temm.). Slender-billed Noddy.^ Family RYNCHOPID^.— The Skimmers. (Page 20.) Genera. (Characters same as given for the Family) Rynchops. (Page 48.) Genus RYNCHOPS Linn^us. (Page 48, pi. YL, fig. 5.) Species. d^. Secondaries very broadly tipped with white ; tail white, only the middle pair of feathers grayish or dusky ; under wing-coverts white. Summer adult : Forehead, sides of head, and entire lower parts, white ; upper parts, including hind-neck, top of head, and ear-coverts, black, the secondaries and inner pri- maries broadly tipped with white ; tail white, the middle feathers chiefly gra5nsh brown ; basal half of bill, with legs and feet, bright vermilion-red in life (changing to dull whitish in dried skins) ; terminal portion of bill 1 Anous melanogenys Gray, Gen. B. iii. 1849, 661, pi. 182. 2 Anous leucocapillus Gould, P. Z. S. 1845, 103 ; Birds Austr. pt. vii. 1848, pi. 35. 3 Sterna tenuirostris Temm., PI. Col. 202 (1838). Anous tenuirostris Saunders, P. Z. S. 1876, 670, pi. 61, fig. 1. RYNCHOPS. 49 black. Winter adult : Similar as to plumage, but the black more brownish, and interrupted by a white collar across hind-neck. Young : Above light buff, each feather with a central spot of black, these largest on scapulars ; lores and beneath eye uniform pale buif ; lower parts white. Downy young : Above pale grayish buff, irregularly and sparsely mottled with blackish ; lower parts plain white. (Lower mandible not longer than upper in very young birds.) Length 17.00-20.00, wing 14.75-15.75, tail 5.50 (forked for about 1.20), culmen 2.20-2.80, lower mandible 2.90-4.10. JVest a depression in sand, near sea-shore. Eggs 2-5, 1.74 X 1-32, ovate, or short-ovate, white, buffy white, or pale buff, marked with large bold spots of rich dark or deep brown, and smaller, fainter spots of purplish gray. Hab. Sea-coast of warmer parts of America ; on the Atlantic side, north, regularly, to New Jersey, casually to Nova Scotia 80. R. nigra Linn. Black Skimmer. al Secondai'ies without white tips ; tail dusky, the feathers with paler edges ; under wing-coverts brownish gray ; otherwise similar to R. nigra, but averaging larger, with longer bill and wing especially. Hab. Coasts of South America (Peru; Demerara, etc.). R. melanura Boie. Black-tailed Skimmer.^ 1 Hyncliojis melanurus " BoiE," Swains. Anim. in Menag. 1838, 340. 50 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. Order TUBINARES. — The Tube-nosed Swim- mers. (Page 1.) Families. a\ "Wings very long ; nostrils opening in anterior end of horizontal nasal tubes. ¥. Nasal tubes widely separated by the intervening culmen ; size very large (equal to a large goose or larger); wing very narrow, with very nu- merous (39-50) remiges Diomedeidae. (Page 50.) ¥. Nasal tubes united, and resting upon the basal portion of the culmen ; size and other characters extremely variable, but usually medium-sized or small, and remiges never more than 39 (usually 30, or less). Procellariidae. (Page 53.) a^. "VVings very short, and general appearance decidedly Auk-like ; nostrils opening upwards, as parallel longitudinal slits, at very base of culmen. Halodromidae. (Extralimital.) Family DIOMEDEIDi©.— The Albatrosses. (Page 50.) Nest a mound-like heap of grasses, etc., with depressed top, built upon the ground in open situations, on oceanic islands. Egg single, ovate, or elliptical ovate, white, sometimes speckled or sprinkled on larger end with reddish brown. Genera. a^. Sides of lower mandible without longitudinal groove ; wing three or more times as long as the short, rounded tail. b^. Upper division of the bill much broadest at base, where joined closely to the lateral division Diomedea. (Page 50.) 6^ Upper division of the bill narrow, and of equal width from the middle of the culmen to the base, where widely separated from the lateral division by the interposition of a strip of naked skin extending from the nasal tubes to the forehead Thalassogeron. (Page 52.) a*. Sides of lower mandible with a distinct longitudinal groove, extending the entire length of the lateral division ; wing only about twice as long as the gradu- ated or wedge-shaped tail .- Phcebetria. (Page 53.) Genus DIOMEDEA Linn^us. (Page 50, pi. XIII., figs. 1, 2.) Species. a}. Culmen very concave ; feathers at base of upper mandible extending in an angle nearly or quite to the base of the nasal tube, those at the base of the lower mandible forming a still more decided angle. (Subgenus Diomedea.) DIOMEDEA. 51 Wing 26.50-29.00 inches ; total length, 44.00-55.00, extent, 125.00-130.00. Adult : White, the remiges blackish. Young : Dusky, with fore part of the head whitish (older individuals with more white, according to age). Egg 4.95 X 3.15, white, minutely sprinkled over large end with brownish (adventitious stain in pores of shell ?). Hab. Southern seas in general, north, casually or very irregularly, to Florida (Tampa Bay) and coast of Washington Territory. — . D. exulans Linn. Wandering Albatross.^ Culmen slightly concave, the bill more compressed ; feathers at base of maxilla extending in a nearly straight obliquely transverse line far back of the nasal tube, those at the base of the lower mandible also extending nearly straight across. h^. Lateral division of the bill narrower at base than in the middle. (Sub- genus Phcebastria Eeich.^) c\ Length 28.50-36.00, wing 18.50-20.50, culmen 4.00-4.25, depth of bill at base 1.45-1.60, tarsus 3.50-3.70, middle toe 4.05-4.40. Adult : Uni- form dusky, more grayish below, the tail-coverts, base of tail, and anterior portion of the head white ; bill dusky purplish brown ; feet black. Young : Similar to adult, but upper tail-coverts dusky, and white of head more restricted (sometimes almost obsolete). Hab. North Pacific ; on the American side, from coast of California (very abundant) to Alaska. 81. D. nigripes Aud. Black-footed Albatross. c\ Length 33.00-37.00, wing 22.00-23.00, culmen 5.50-5.G0, depth of bill at base 1.95-2.05, tarsus 3.80^.00, middle toe 4.65-4.90. Adult: White, becoming straw-yellow on head and neck ; tail-feathers, remiges, etc, slaty brown, the primaries with yellow shafts. Young : Uniform sooty or dusky, the head and neck nearly black ; shafts of primaries straw-yellow ; bill and feet pale brownish. Hab. North Pacific ; on the American side occurring from California to Alaska, but chiefly northward. 82. D. albatrus Pall. Short-tailed Albatross. P. Lateral division of bill broader at base than in middle. (Subgenus Thalas- sarche Eeich.') c\ Lower parts white ; upper parts plain dusky. d^. Under wing-coverts chiefly, or in large part, white. Adult (and young f) : He.ad, neck, rump, upper tail-coverts, and entire lower parts white, the sides of the head with a more or less distinct grayish stripe, darkest near the eye ; back and scapu- lars brownish slate, more ashy anteriorly, the wings plain dusk}^ ; color of bill varying from pale 5-ellowish in adult to dark horn-color in young; wing 19.50-20.50, tail 8.00-8.50, 1 Diomedea exulans Linn., S. N. ed. 10, i. 175S, 132. 2 Phcebastria Reich., Syst. Av. 1S52, p. v. Type, Diomedea hrachyura Temm., = D. albatrus Pall. ' Thalassarche Reich., Syst. Av. 1852, p. v. Type, Diomedea melano^ihrys BoiE. 52 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. culm6n 4.50-4.60, tarsus 3.05-3.38, middle toe 3.90-4.32. Hah. Southern seas, especially South Pacific, casual off coast of Cali- fornia — . D. melanophrys Boie. Spectacled Albatross.^ d}. Under wing-coverts uniform dark slaty or grayish brown. Similar in plumage to D. melanophrys, except under wing-coverts, which are uniform dusky instead of partly white; bill olive-brownish, the nails dusky ; wing 20.00, tail 9.00, culmen 5.00, depth of bill at base 1.75, tarsus 3.00, middle toe (with claw) 4.75. Hab. (Unknown.) D. gilliana Coues. Gill's Albatross.'' c^ Lower parts partly grayish brown ; upper parts varied with dusky and white. Adult (?): Head and neck white, washed with yellow; belly grayish brown, freckled with white ; upper back and rump transversely varied with dusky and white. Hab. Pacific coast of South America (Callao Bay, Peru). D. irrorata Salvin. Speckled Albatross.^ Genus THALASSOGERON Eidgway. (Page 50, pi. XIY., fig. 1.) Species. Common Characters. — Adult: Upper parts chiefly uniform dark brownish slate, more plumbeous on back, especially anteriorly ; rump and upper tail-coverts white ; tail grayish, the feathers with yellowish white shafts ; lower parts white ; head and neck sometimes w^hite shaded with plumbeous on top of former and hinder part of latter, sometimes entirely light ash-gray, always with a darker space immediately in front of and behind eye, with a white spot on lower ej^elid. a\ Culmen 4.50 or less ; wing 21.00, or less ; bill blackish, with yellowish culmen. 6\ Culmen continuing broad and flat to the extreme base, which is broad and slightly rounded ; tarsus more than 3.00 ; lower mandible with a yellow- ish stripe along lower edge, from base nearly to the nail ; culmen pale yellowish or greenish ; length about 35.00-37.00, wing 17.75-21.00, tail 8.00-9.00, culmen 4.35-4.50, depth of bill at base 1.70-1.75, tarsus 3.25, middle toe (without claw) 4.30-4.35. Egg 4.18 X 2.63. Hab. Southern oceans (except South Atlantic?), north, casually, to coast of Oregon. 83. T. culminatus (Gould). Yellow-nosed Albatross. b^. Culmen much compressed, narrowing to an acute angle at extreme base; tarsus less than 3.00; lower mandible without yellow along lower edge, 1 Biomedea melanophrys " BoiE," Temm. PI. Col. No. 456 (1838). Gould, B. Austr. pi. 43. B. B. k R. Water B. N. Am. ii. 1884, 357. 2 Bwmedea gilliana CouES, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phil. May, 1866, 181. Type in mus. Philadelphia Academy Natural Sciences. (Possibly young of D. melanophrys.) 3 Diomedea irrorata Salvin, P. Z. S. 1883, 430. PRCEBETRIA. 53 but with a transverse bar of yellow (orange in life) across the base ; culmen orange-yellow in life ; wing about 19.00, tail 7.00, culmen 4.50, depth of bill at base 1.50, tarsus 2.75, middle toe (with claw) 4.25. Hab. Indian, Antarctic, and South Pacific Oceans. T. chlororhynchus (Gmel.). Green-billed Albatross.^ «l Culmen 4.75 or more ; wing 22.00 ; bill light-colored (pale grayish, with pale yellowish culmen and nails in life), with black line across base of upper man- dible and yellow bar at base of lower. (" Clouded with dark gray" in young.) Culmen 4.75-4.90, depth of bill at base 1.90-2.00, tail 10.00, tarsus 3.25, middle toe (with claw) 5.00. Hah. South coast of Van Diemen's Land. T. cautus (Gould). Cautious Albatross.'' Genus PHCEBETRIA Eeichenbach. (Page 50, pi. XIY., fig. 2.) Species. Adult (?) : Neck, back, and lower parts pale smoky gray ; sides of head, chin, and throat deep sooty, nearly black around eyes ; eyelids whitish ; wings and tail dark sooty slate, the shafts of primaries and tail-feathers yellowish toward base ; bill deep black, the grooves whitish; feet pale reddish or yellowish. Young {?): Entire head deep sooty blackish, fading gradually into deep smoky gray on lower parts, back, rump, and upper tail-coverts ; wings and tail sooty slate, the shafts of the quills and tail-feathers yellowish white; eyelids conspicuously white, except anteriorly ; bill and feet as in supposed adult. Length 34.00-37.00, extent 78.00- 84.00, wing 20.00-21.50, tail 10.50-13.00, the outer feathers 3.00-5.50 shorter. Egg 3.96 X 2.63, white, minutely sprinkled with brown on larger end. Sab. South Pacific, north (casually ?) to coast of Oregon. 84. P. fuliginosa (Gmel.). Sooty Albatross. Family PROCELLARIIDiE.— The Petrels. (Page 50.) JSfest a hole among rocks (usually on face of cliffs). JEgg single, white (unless adventitiously stained). Genera. a}-. Secondaries 13, or more. (Subfamily Proeellariince.) b^. Size very large (wing 17.00 or more) ; tail-feathers 16 ; bill longer than tarsus Ossifraga. (Page 57.) b^. Size medium or small (wing 15.00 or less) ; tail-feathers 12-14 ; bill shorter than tarsus. c^. "Wing more than 7.00. d^. Culmen more than half as long as middle toe, with claw. e^ Inner side of edge of upper mandible without distinct fringe- like processes. 1 Diomedea cMororhyncha Gmel., S. N. i. 1788, 568. 2 Diomedea cauta Gould, P. Z. S. viii. 1840, 177; B. Austr. pi. 40. 54 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. /'. Bill cylindrical or com2:)ressed at base, where not broader than deep. g^. Partition between nostrils very thin (very much nar- rower than width of a singl'e nostril), entirely within the nasal tubes. /i^ Gonys very slightly or not at all concave, the tip not distinctly decurved ; nasal tubes decidedly longer than gonys... Fulmarus. (Page 57.) /^^ Gonys very strongly concave, the tip distinctly de- curved ; nasal tubes not decidedly longer (usu- ally shoi'ter) than gonys (excej)t in Bulwerid). ^^ Depth of bill at shallowest part more than one-fourth the length of the lower man- dible, measured along the side. /. Tail more or less graduated, and without white tip. k^. Tail less than half as long as wing, and graduated for less than one- third its length ; cutting-edge of lower mandible decidedly con- cave ; nail of lower mandible oc- cupying at least one-third the total length of the mandible, measured along its side ; plu- mage and size very variable. ^strelata. (Page 63.) A'. Tail more than half as long as wing, and graduated for more than one-third its length ; cutting- edge of lower mandible straight, or very slightly concave ; nail of lower mandible occupying de- cidedly less than one-third the total length of the mandible, measured along its side ; color uniform dusky ; wing about 8.00. Bulweria. (Page 69.) /. Tail slightly rounded, and with a distinct white tip. Cutting-edge of lower mandible straight, and nail of lower man- dible occupying less than one- third its total length, as in Bul- weria ; plumage bluish above, and on sides of chest, the lower PROCELARIIDJE. 55 parts, forehead, tips of longer scapulars and of tail white; wing about 8.00 Halohcena} i^. Dej)th of bill at shallowest part decidedly less than one-fourth the length of the lower mandible, measured along its side ; plumage bluish gray above, becoming white on forehead and blackish on wings ; beneath entirely white ; wing about 9.00 Cookilaria} g^. Partition between nostrils very thick (as wide as or wider than nostril), ending anteriorly "flush" with, or but little behind, the anterior rim" of the nasal tubes. h}. Space between nasal tubes and base of unguis not greater than length of the latter ; nostrils not visible from above ; color uniform sooty black (browner below), with or without white mark- ings on head ; wing 13.50 or more.. Majaqueus? h?. Space between nasal tubes and base of unguis decidedly greater than length of the latter; nostrils partly (usually entirely) visible from above ; color and size very variable, but wing never more than 15.00 (usually much less). Puffinus. (Page 58.) p. Bill flattened, broader than deep at base. Branches of lower mandible bowed widely apart, the space between mostly unfeathered ; plumage spotted white and dusky above, entirely white beneath. Daption. (Page 69.) e\ Inner side of edge of upper mandible with distinct fringe-like processes ; color bluish above, the tail tipped with black- ish ; beneath white ; wing about 7.00-7.50, p. Culmen concave ; lateral outlines of bill straight. Pseudojprion} p. Culmen straight ; lateral outlines of bill decidedly convex. Prion.} d}. Culmen less than half as long as middle toe, with claw; tail even ; hind claw very large, equal in length to the nasal tubes, measured along the top ; color entirely pure white... Fagodroma.^ 1 Halohstna " Is. Geoffr. 1836," Bonap. Consp. ii. 1857, 193. Type, Procellaria cierulea Gmel. 2 Cookilaria BoNAP., Compt. Rend, xliii. 1856, 994. Type, Procellaria cooJcii Gray. 3 Maj'aqtieus Reich., Av. Syst. 1852, p, iv. Type, Procellaria sequinoctialis Linn. * Psetidoprion CouES, Pr. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phil. 1866, 164. Type, Prion titrtur Gould. 5 Prion Lacepede, Mem. de I'lnst. 1800-1801, 514. Type, Procellaria, vittata Gmel. ^ Pagodroma BoNAP., Consp. ii. 1856, 192. Type, Procellaria nivea Gmel. 56 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. c\ Wing less than 7.00. d}. Tarsus decidedly longer than middle toe, with claw ; tail much rounded, or slightly graduated ; plumage wholly dusky. Halocyptena. (Page 69.) d'. Tarsus not longer than middle toe, with claw ; tail emarginate, even, or at most only very slightly rounded. e^. Tail even, or very slightly rounded ; tarsus twice as long as the culmen ; color uniform dusky, with white upper tail- coverts Procellaria. (Page 69.) e'. Tail emarginate or slightly forked ; tarsus less than twice as long as the culmen ; color variable. Oceanodroma. (Page 70.) a\ Secondaries 10. (Subfamily Oceanitince.) 6\ Tarsus exceeding middle toe, with claw, by less than the length of the bill (measured from forehead) ; basal division of middle toe shorter than rest of toe, including nail. c^ Culmen (from frontal feathers) less than half as long as middle toe, with claw. d}. Front of tarsus distinctly scutellate ; distance from tip of tail to end of longest upper coverts shorter than middle toe ; first quill shorter than third; lower parts white, forward to the chest; no white on upper parts Garrodia} d^. Front of tarsus not scutellate ; distance from tip of bill to end of longest upper coverts much greater than length of middle toe with claw ; lower parts dusky, or striped with dusky ; upper tail-coverts white. &, Claws narrow, pointed ; first quill much shorter than third ; belly and flanks uniform dusky... Oceanites. (Page 71.) ^. Claws broad, flat, blunt; first quill longer than third; belly and flanks white striped with dusky Pealea? c*. Culmen (from frontal feathers) more than half as long as middle toe, with claw ; tarsus 2| times as long as culmen, appreciably scutel- late in front ; nails broad, flat, and blunt ; first quill much shorter than third Pelagodroma. (Page 72.) 6'. Tarsus exceeding middle toe by more than the length of the culmen; basal division of middle toe longer than rest of toe, including nail ; culmen (from frontal feathers) more than half as long as middle toe, with claw ; tarsus 2^ times as long as culmen, the anterior scutellse sometimes ap- preciable, sometimes obsolete ; nails excessively broad (nearly as broad as long), flat, triangular ; first quill decidedly shorter than third. Cymodroma. (Page 71.) 1 Garrodia Forbes, P. Z. S. 1881, 736. Type, Procellaria nereis Gould. "^ Pealea RiDGW., Auk, iii., July, 1886, 334. Type, Thalaasidroma lineata Peale. FULMARUS. 57 Genus OSSIFRAGA Hombron & Jacquinot. (Page 53, pi. XY., fig. 1.) Species. Light phase : Head, neck, and lower parts white ; upper parts dusky, the feathers (especially scapulars) sometimes tipped with paler ; bill light yellowish. (Sometimes entirely white, relieved only by scattered brown feathers.) Dark phase : Uniform dark sooty brown, sometimes with whitish feathers round base of bill ; bill olive-yellowish or grayish white ; length, about 30.00-36.00, extent 72.00-84.00, wing 17.00-21.00, culmen 3.50-4.00. Hab. Southern seas, north on Pacific coast of America (casually) to coast of Oregon. 85. O. gigantea (Gmel.). Giant Fulmar. Genus FULMARUS Leach. (Page 54, pi. XVI., figs. 1, 2.) Species. a*. Bill short and stout, its greatest depth very nearly half the total length (meas- ured from frontal feathers) ; nasal tubes separated from the unguis hy a very narrow space, measuring much less than half as much in length as the former; tail-feathers 14. (Subgenus Fulmanis.) h^. Nasal tubes distinctly dusky, the whole bill sometimes olive-brownish. c^ Light phase : Head, neck, and lower parts white ; upper parts bluish gray, the quills darker. Lark phase : Entirely smoky gray. Length 18.00-20.00, wing 12.50-13.75 (13.04), culmen 1.45-1.58 (1.50), depth of bill at base .65-.80 (.75). Egg 2.85 X 2.01. Mab. North Atlantic. 86. F. glacialis (Linn.). Fulmar. c'. Similar in color to F. glacialis, but much smaller; wing 11.80-12.00 (11.90), culmen 1.30-1.38 (1.33), depth of bill at base .60-.70 (.63). Hab. North Atlantic, south on American side to coast of New England 86a. F. glacialis minor (Kjaerb.). Lesser Fulmar. fe^ Nasal tubes light-colored ; bill never dark-colored. c^ Light phase : In plumage not with certainty distinguishable from the corresponding phase of F. glacialis. Lark phase : Much darker than the corresponding phase of F. glacialis, the color being a uniform deep sooty plumbeous in living and freshly-killed birds, changing to deep sooty brownish in very old skins. Length 17.00-19.00, wing 11.90-12.35 (12.06), culmen 1.35-1.65 (1.48), depth of bill at base .65-.70 (.68). Egg 2.82 X 1-95. Hab. North Pacific, south along American coast to western Mexico. 86b. F. glacialis glupischa Stejn. Pacific Fulmar. c*. Light phase : Similar to corresponding phase of the preceding, but the bluish gray of the upper parts broken by a more or less extensive admixture of white. No dark phase knoim. Wing 12.10-12.90 (12.46), culmen 1.40-1.60 (1.49), depth of bill at base .65-.75 (.72). 8 58 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. Egg 2.83 X 1-91. Hah. Bering's Sea and portions of the North Pa- cific 86c. F. glacialis rodgersii (Cass.). Rodgers's Fulmar. rt^ Bill long and slender, its greatest depth much less than half the total length (measured from frontal feathers) ; nasal tubes sei^arated from the unguis by a space measuring much more than half as much in length as the former. h^. Bill cj'lindrical at base, or measuring as much in width as in depth ; space between nasal tube and base of unguis about equal to the length of the former; upper parts plain; head white; tail-feathers 14. (Subgenus Priocella Hombr. & J acq.). Head, neck, and lower parts white ; upper parts pale pearl-gray, the quills darker, with inner webs chiefl}^ white; length 18.00-18.50, wing 13.00, culmen 1.75-2.10, depth of bill at base .65. Jllab. South- ern seas, north along Pacific coast of America to coast of Washing- ton Territory... 87. F. glacialoides (Smith). Slender-billed Fulmar. b"^. Bill compressed, or higher than broad, at base ; space between nasal tube and base of unguis less than the length of the former; upper parts parti- colored ; head dusky ; tail-feathers 12. (Subgenus Thalassoica Eeich.^) Head and neck sooty grayish, darker on top ; back, scapulars, rump, tip of tail, primary-coverts, lesser wing-coverts, and greater part of primaries, sooty slate ; lower parts, secondaries, greater wing-coverts, inner webs of primaries, tail (except terminal band), and upper tail- coverts, white ; wing 12.50, culmen 1.40. Hab. Antarctic seas. F. antarcticus (Gmel.). Antarctic Fulmar.* Genus PUFFINUS Brisson. (Page 55, pi. XVI., figs. 3, 4.) Species, o}. Nostrils only partially visible from above, the nasal tubes elevated and inflated anteriorly, Avhere broader than at base ; under wing-coverts dusky, and lower parts white. (Subgenus Priofinus Hombr. & Jacq.) h^. Above ash-gray, more or less tinged with brown, darker on top of head, quills, and tail-feather ; lower parts white, except under wing-coverts and under tail-coverts, which are deep smoky grayish ; bill light yel- lowish, with deep black culmen and nasal tubes, the side of lower man- dible also mostly black ; wing 12.25-13.50, culmen 1.75-1.85, depth of bill in front of nostril .50-.55, tarsus 2.25-2.30, middle toe, with claw, 2.90. Hah. South Pacific, north, casually, to coast of California. 97. P. cinereus (Gmel.). Black-tailed Shearwater. fe^ Above brown, the upper tail-coverts tipped with white ; wings and tail blackish ; lower parts white, including under wing-coverts and tail- coverts ; bill yellowish, passing into dusky at tip ; wing 15.00, tarsus 2.35, middle toe, with claw, 3.15. Hah. Antarctic seas. P. gelidus (Gmel.). Ice Petrel.^ 1 Thalassoica Reich., Syst. Av. 1852, p. iv. Type, Procellaria antarctica Gmel. 2 Procellaria antarctica Gmel., S. N. i. pt. ii. 1788, 565. Thallasoica antarctica Reich., Syst. Av. 1852, p. iv. 3 Procellaria gelida Gmel., S. N. i. 1788, 564. PUFFINUS. 59 a^. Nostrils completely visible from above, the nasal tubes depressed and bevelled anteriorly, where narrower than at base ; under wing-coverts white, or else lower parts also dusky. ¥. Tail much less than half the wing, slightly rounded, or moderately gradu- ated (the graduation not more than two-thirds the length of the tarsus). (Subgenus Puffitius.) d. Lower parts white. d}. Wing more than 12.00. e\ No distinct line of demarcation between white of throat, etc., ■ and smoky gray of top and sides of head and neck ; bill yellowish ; above brownish gray, feathers of back, etc., tipped with paler; sides of head and neck transversely undulated with ash-gray and white. /\ Lower tail-coverts entirely white. g\ Length about 18.00, wing 13.00-14.00, culmen 1.80- 2.00, depth of bill through base .65-.70, tarsus 1.85- 2.00, middle toe 2.10-2.25. Doivny young : Uni- form sooty grayish brown. Hab. Middle eastern Atlantic; a specimen from Greenland said to be in Leyden Museum (cf. Schleg. Mus. P.-B., Fro- cellarice, 1863, p. 24). P. kuhlii (Boie). Cinereous Shearwater.^ g\ Length about 20.00-22.00, wing 13.75-14.50, culmen 2.10-2.25, depth of bill at base .75-.80, tarsus 2.20- 2.25, middle toe 2.45. Hab. Western North At- lantic (off coast of Massachusetts). 88. P. borealis Cory. Cory's Shearwater. /'. Lower tail-coverts uniform dark sooty grayish. Length 19.00, wing 12.50-13.25, culmen 1.60-1.70, depth of bill through base .65-.75, tarsus 2.05-2.12, middle toe 2.15-2.40. Hab. Eastern Pacific Ocean from California to Chili. 91. P. creatopus Coues. Pink-footed Shearwater. e'. White of throat, etc., separated very abruptly from the dusky color of top and sides of head and neck ; bill blackish. Above smoky grayish brown, feathers of back, etc., with paler tips ; longer upper tail-coverts mostly white ; belly more or less clouded with smoky gray, the flanks and lower tail-coverts mostly grayish brown ; length 19.00-20.00, wing 11.50-13.00, culmen 1.80-1.85. Hab. Atlantic Ocean generally. 89. P. major Faber. Greater Shearwater. d\ Wing less than 10.00. e^. Above sooty slate, without white tips to wing-coverts, etc. 1 For references, see A. 0. U. Check List, p. 350. 60 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. p. Tarsus 1.75, or more. g\ Tail 3.10, or less. Above uniform sooty blackish, the head and neck not perceptibly paler; lower tail-coverts mixed white and dusky, in greatly varying relative amount ; length 13.00-15.00, wing 8.50-9.25, tail 2.60-3.10, culmen 1.35-1.40, depth of bill at base .40-.45, tarsus 1.70-1.80, middle toe 1.65-1.70. Downy yoimg : Sooty brownish gray above, grayish white below. Egg 2.36 X 1-62. Hah. Northern Atlantic (chiefly the eastern side) and Mediterranean Sea 90. P. puffinus (Brunn.). Manx Shearwater. g^. Tail 3.25, or more. Above uniform sooty slate, appreciably paler on head and neck ; lower tail-coverts wholly sooty grayish; length 12.25-15.00, wing 9.00-9.10, tail 3.25-3.80, culmen 1.30-1.40, depth of bill at base .35, tarsus 1.75, middle toe 1.70-1.75. Egg 1.79 X 1-27. Hah. Pacific Ocean, from Lower California to New Zealand 93. P. gavia (FoRST.). Black-vented Shearwater. p. Tarsus 1.65, or less. g^. Lower tail-coverts with more or less of dusky. h^. Above uniform sooty black ; M^hite of under side of head extending upward nearly or quite to the eye, sometimes involving part of the lores ; length about 11.00, wing 7.60-8.40, tail 3.50, culmen 1.20-1.25, depth of bill at base .35, tarsus 1.50-1.65, middle toe 1.45-1.60. Egg 2.05 X 1-45. Hah. Warmer parts of Atlantic Ocean, north, casuallj^, to coast of New Jer- sey 92. P. auduboni Finsch. Audubon's Shearwater. h^. Similar in color to P. auduboni, but smaller, the bill shorter and more slender, the wing longer; wing 7.00, tail 3.25, culmen .98, tarsus 1.44, middle toe 1.42. Hah. Pacific Ocean ? (" King George's Sound" ^). P. tenebrosus Pelz. Pelzeln's Shearwater.' 1 Latham ("Synopsis," iii. pt. ii. p. 417) says "King George's Sound, on the American coast"; but von Pelzeln (Ibis, 1873, p. 47) thinks that this is a mistake, King George's Sound on the west coast of Australia being meant instead. 2 Puffinus tenehroBus Pelz., Ibis, 1873, 47, PUFFINUS. 61 (f. Lower tail-coverts entirely white. h}. Dusk}- of head extending far below the eye, the white being almost confined to throat and fore-neck ; wing 8.30, culmen 1.25, tarsus 1.55, middle toe, with claw, 1.85. Hah. Indian Ocean, and southeastward to New Zealand. P. obscurus (Gmel.). Dusky Shearwater.* /il Dusky of head not descending below the eye, the ear-coverts and greater part of lores being white ; wing 6.50, culmen about 1.00, tarsus 1.25. Hab. Australian seas. P. assimilis Gould. Allied Shearwater. e*. Above plumbeous, the larger wing-coverts, scapulars, etc., nar- rowly tipped with whitish. Lower parts entirely white ; wing 7.30, tail 2.70, culmen 1.07, tarsus 1.70, middle toe, with claw, 1.95. Hah. South Atlantic. P. elegans Gigl. & Salt ad. Elegant Shearwater.^ cl Lower parts uniform dusky, or sooty gray (the chin and throat some- times whitish). d}. Bill black or dusky. e\ Culmen much longer than the combined length of the first two divisions of the outer toe. p. Wing more than 11.00 ; bill horn-gray or dusky brownish ; under wing-coverts mottled with white and smoky gray, and with dusky shaft-streaks. g^. Under wing-coverts gray, transversely mottled with white at tips; length about 16.00, wing 11.15- 12.00, culmen 1.60-1.75, depth of bill at base .50- .55, tarsus 2.05-2.15, middle toe 2.05-2.20. Egg 2.58 X 1-78. Hab. North Atlantic, from the New- foundland Banks to South Carolina on the Ameri- can side. 94. P. Strickland! Eidgw. Sooty Shearwater. g"^. Under wing-coverts white, transversely mottled with gray at tips; wing 11.15-12.00, culmen 1.55-1.70, depth of bill at base .45-.55, tarsus 2.12-2.35, middle toe 2.05-2.25. Hab. South Pacific, north, on American side, to California 95. P. griseus (Gmel.). Dark-bodied Shearwater. 1 Procellaria ohscura Gmel., S. N. i. pt. ii. 1788, 559. Puffinus ohsmirus Reich., Novit. Synop. Av. Natat. Dec. 1850 (second page). 2 Puffinw assimilis Gould, P. Z. S. 1837, 186; B. Austr, vii. pi. 59. 3 Puffinus elegans Giglioli & Salvadori, Ibis, 1869, 67, 68. Saltin, Rowley's Orn. Misc. pt. iv. 1876, 256, pi. 34. 62 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. p. Wing less than 10.00; bill deep black; under wing-coverts uniform deep sooty black. Uniform sooty black, the lower parts much darker and browner than in stricklandi and griseus ; wing 9.80, tail 3.50, culmen 1.25, tarsus 1.70, middle toe, with claw, 1.98. Hah. Pacific Ocean (Christmas Island). P. nativitatis Streets. Christmas Island Shearwater.^ e^ Culmen less than the combined length of the first two divisions of the outer toe. Above dark sooty slate, beneath deep sooty gray, paler on throat, where sometimes inclining to whitish ; wing 10.00-11.10, tail 3.20-3.60, culmen 1.20-1.28, depth of bill at base .35-.50, tarsus 1.90-2.00, middle toe, with claw, 2.18-2.42. Hah. Pacific Ocean, from Alaska and Kamtschatka to Australia 96. P. tenuirostris (Temm.). Slender-billed Shearwater. d?. Bill light-colored (pinkish or fleshy white in life), the nails black- ish. Hob. Off western coast of Australia. P. carneipes Gould, Flesh-footed Shearwater .^ 6^ Tail nearly or quite half as long as the wing, graduated for about as much as the length of the tarsus. (Subgenus Theillus Gloger.^) c^. Lower parts uniform sooty grayish. d}. Bill dusky or brownish, with flesh-colored or reddish tinge in life ; wing 10.50-11.25, tail 5.00-6.00 (graduated for about 2.00), cul- men 1.60, tarsus 1.90, middle toe, with claw, 2.35. Hab. Aus- tralian seas P. sphenurus Gould. Wedge-tailed Shearwater.* d^. Bill "greenish orange," with black tip and culmen; rather larger than P. sphenurus. Hah. Indian Ocean, from western Australia to Cape of Good Hope. P. chlororhynchus Less. Green-billed Shearwater.^ c^ Lower parts white. Top and sides of head white, spotted and streaked with blackish ; wing 11.25-12.50, tail 5.85 (graduated for about 1.80), culmen 1.85, tarsus 1.85, middle toe, with claw, 1.30. Hah. Japanese seas. P. leucomelas (Temm.). Streaked Shearwater.^ 1 Pitffinus {Nectria) nativitatis Streets, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. No. 7, 1877, 29. 2 Piiffimis carneipea GouLD, P. Z. S. 1844, 57. 3 Theillus Glog., "v. Fror. Notiz. 1827, xvi. 279." Type, Puffinns chlororJii/nchns JjBSS. (?). * Puffinus sjyhenurus Gould, Ann. Mag. N. H. 1st ser. xiii. 1844, 366 ; B. Austr. vii. pi. 58. * Puffinus cJilororhynchiis Less., Traits, 18.31, 61.3. 6 Procellaria leucomelas Temm., PI, Col. livr. 99, pi. 587 (1838). Puffinus leucomelas Bonap., Consp. ii. 1856, 203. ^STRELATA. 63 Genus ^STRELATA Bonaparte. (Page 54, pi. XVI., fig. 6.) Species. a^. Inner webs of primaries wholly dusky, except sometimes toward base. ¥. Plumage largely or chiefly white beneath, c^ Upper tail-coverts same color as back. d}. Wing more than 9.00. e^. Tail ash-gray, the exterior feathers whitish, mottled with gray ; back, scapulars, rump, etc., plain ash-gray or light plumbeous; wings much darker; lower parts white, the sides of the chest and neck waved or barred with ash- gray. f\ Wing 11.50-12.00, tail 5.00-5.90, culmen 1.45-1.50, tarsus 1.65-1.70, middle toe, with claw, 2.40-2.45; top of head almost entirely white. Hah. South Pacific and Indian Oceans. M. lessoni (Garn,). Lesson's Petrel.^ f\ Wing 9.50-10.50, tail 4.50, culmen 1.10, tarsus 1.33, middle toe, with claw, 1.75 ; top of head deep ash-gray, except anteriorly. Hah. South Pacific and Antarctic Oceans. JE.. mollis (Gould). Downy Petrel.^ e^. Tail uniform dusky, the exterior feathers sometimes mottled with whitish. p. Axillars and under wing-coverts uniform smoky gray or dusky. g^. Culmen 1.25, or more. h}. Width of upper mandible at base equal to the height of the closed bill at base. Head, neck, and chest uniform sooty grayish brown, darker above, where nearly the same shade as the uniform dark sooty color of the upper parts generally ; entire sides, flanks, and outer webs of exterior lower tail-coverts sooty grayish brown, like under surface of wing ; rest of lower parts white; wing 11.10, tail 4.70 (gradu- ated for 1.40), culmen 1.28, width of bill at base .65, depth .65, tarsus 1.75, middle 1 Procellaria lessoni Garnot, Ann. Sc. Nat. vii. 1826, 54, fig. 4. ^Estrelata lessoni Cass., Proe. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phil. 1862, 327. * Procellaria mollis Gould, Ann. & Mag. N. H. xiii. 1844, 363; B. Austr. vii. pi. 50. ^strelata mollis CouES, Proc, Ac. Nat. Sci. Phil. 1866, 150. 64 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. toe, with claw, 2.15. Hab. South Pacific (Tahiti). 2E.. rostrata (Peale). Thick-billed Petrel.^ Al Width of upper mandible at base decidedly less than height of closed bill at base. i}. Under tail-coverts dusky. Head, neck, and chest smoky grayish brown, paler on chest (where feath- ers are white immediately beneath the surface), still paler on throat, where almost white ; sides and top of head, hind-neck, back, and scapulars deeper smoky brownish gray, the dorsal feathers with paler narrow tips ; wings, rump, and tail dusky ; breast and belly soiled white ; wing 12.17-12.50, tail 5.15-5.40 (graduated for 1.60), culmen 1.42-1.60, tarsus 1.65, middle toe, with claw, 1.95-2.42. Hah. Southern oceans, including vi- cinity of Tierra del Fuego. M. incerta (Schleg.). Schlegel's Petrel.'' i"^. Under tail-coverts white. Otherwise, much like ^. incerta, but throat and a superciliary space more distinctly white; wing 12.00-12.21, tail 5.00-5.50, tarsus 1.49-1.60, mid- dle toe, with claw, 2.20. Hah. South Pacific. JE,. magentse Gigl. & Salvad. Magenta Petrel.2 g^. Culmen, 1.14, or less. A\ Tail 4.75, or more ; culmen 1.12, or more. Above uniform dusky, more grayish an- teriorly, especially on forehead ; chest, entire sides, and under surface of wing dusky sooty brown, more gray across chest ; throat whitish ; breast, belly, and greater part of under tail-coverts white ; wing 11.20-11.41, tail 4.75-5.50, culmen 1.12-1.14, tarsus 1.30-1.35, middle toe, 1 Procellaria rostrata Peale, Zool. U. S. Expl. 1848, 296, atl. pi. 41. j^strelata rostrata Codes, Pr. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phil. 1866, 144. 2 Procellaria incerta ScHLEG., Mus. P.-B., Procellariie, 1863, 9. vEstrelata incerta CouES, Pr. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phil. 1866, 147. ' ^strelata magentse GiGL. & Salvad., Ibis, 1869, 61. Salvin, Rowley's Orn. Misc. pt. iv. 1876, 251, pi. 30. ^STRELATA. 65 with claw, 1.83-1.90. Hah. South At- lantic (island of Trinidad). 2E,. arminjoniana Gigl. & Salvad. Ar- minjon's Petrel,* h^. Tail 4.60, or less ; culmen 1.10, or less. Similar in color to u^. arminjoniana, but much darker above, the color inclining to uniform sooty black throughout, the fore- head and chest more brownish ; wing 10.50-11.10, tail 4.40-4.60, culmen 1.08- 1.10, tarsus 1.28-1.35, middle toe, with claw, 1.70-1.78. Hah. South Pacific (Hondon and Christmas Islands), 2E,. parvirostris (Peale). Small-billed Petrel.^ /'. Axillars and under wing-coverts white. Upper parts, including hind-neck and upper tail- coverts, uniform brownish slate, darker on wings and tail and nearly black on head, the feathers of hind-neck and the upper tail-coverts (the latter very abruptly) white beneath the surface ; fore- head, lores, cheeks, and entire lower parts white, the sides and longer lower tail-coverts sometimes irregularl}^ barred with dusky ; wing 11.80-12.00, tail 5.50-5.75 (graduated for about 2.40), culmen 1,22, tarsus 1.40, middle toe, with claw, 1.78. Hah. Middle Pacific, from Sandwich Islands to the Galaf)agos. JE.. phaeopygia Salv. Dark-rumped Petrel.' d\ Wing less than 9.00, Plumage much as in jE. pha;opygia, but back, scapulars, and upper tail-coverts decidedly plumbeous, the latter not white beneath surface ; wing 8.40-8.60, tail 3.80-4.00 (graduated for about 1.40), culmen .95-.98, tarsus .95-1.00, middle toe, with claw, 1.30-1.32. Hah. Southern oceans generally, ^. leucoptera (Gould). White-winged Petrel,* c^. Upper tail-coverts plain white, in marked contrast with color of back. 1 JEatrelata arminjoniana GiGL, & Salvad., Ibis, 1869, 62. Salvin, Rowley's Orn. Misc. pt, iv, 1876, 252, pi, 31, 2 Procellaria parvirostris Peale, ZooI, U, S, Expl. 1848, 298, atl. pi. 40, JEstrelata parvirostris Coues Pr. Ac. Nat. Sci, Phil, 1866, 146, ^ (Estrelata phscopygia Salvin, Trans. Zool, Soc. Lond. ix. pt. ix, 1875, 507, pi, 88, fig. 1. (Galapagos.) ? (Estrelata eandwicJiensis RiDGW., Water B. N. Am, ii, 1884, 396, in text. (Sandwich Islands.) * Procellaria leucoptera Gould, P. Z, S. 1844, 57 ; B. Austr, pi, 51. (= ^Estrelata cookii CoUES et AuCT, , but, having compared specimens, I am able to say that Procellaria leucoptera Gould and P. cookii Gray are not only specifically distinct but belong to entirely different genera, the latter being the type of Cookilaria BoNAP,, distinguished from Estrelata, among other characters, by its lengthened, slender. Shearwater-like bill, as noted on page 55.) 9 66 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. Top of head, and upper parts generally, except upper tail-coverts, uniform dusky, the back and scapulars paler, with perceptibly still paler terminal margins to the feathers ; upper tail-coverts, basal half (approximately) of tail, head and neck, except top of the former (and sometimes the hind-neck also), together with lower parts, including axillars and under wing-coverts, pure white; the sides of the chest sometimes Avith a brownish gray wash; length 14.00-16.00, wing 11.40-11.75, tail 4.80-5.30 (graduated for 1.25-2.00), culmen 1.22-1.38, tarsus 1.40-1.45, middle toe, with claw, 1.98-2.10. Hah. Middle Atlantic, strag- gling to coasts of North America (Florida and Long Island) and Europe.... 98. iE. hasitata (Kuhl). Black-capped Petrel. h"^. Plumage of lower parts chiefly or entirely dusky. c^. Upper tail-coverts pale smoke-gray or grayish white, in marked contrast. Entirely (except upper tail-coverts) uniform sooty brownish, rather paler and grayer below ; wing 10.80-11.00, tail 4.95-5.00 (graduated for 1.18-1.20), tai'sus 1.38-1.40, middle toe, with claw, 1.95-2.00. Hab. Jamaica and adjacent portions of Carib- bean Sea. 2E.. jamaicensis (Bancroft). Jamaican Petrel.* (?. Upper tail-coverts dusky, like rest of plumage. d}. "Wing more than 9.50. e^ Plumage sooty black above. Lower parts very dark sooty slate, the feathers white beneath the surface; wing 10.75-12.00, tail 4.50-5.60 (graduated for about 1.20), culmen 1.35, tarsus 1.55- L60, middle toe, with claw, 2.20-2.40. Hah. Southern Atlantic, and Antarctic Ocean in vicinity of Kerguelen Island. IE. atlantica (Gottld). Atlantic Petrel.* e^ Plumage slaty or dark sooty grayish or plumbeous above. p. Larger (wing more than 11.00); wing 11.20, tail 4.55, culmen 1.10, tarsus 1.25, middle toe, with claw, 1.80. Hah. South Atlantic (vicinity of Trinidad Island). M. trinitatis GiGL. & Salvad. Trinidad Petrel.' p. Smaller (wing less than 11.00) ; wing 9.68-10.20, tail 4.17- 4.35, culmen 1.05-1.08, tarsus 1.35-1.46, middle toe, with claw, 1.69-1.78. Hah. Southern oceans. JE. brevirostris (Less.). Short-billed Petrel.* 1 Procellaria jamaicensis Bancroft, Zool. Jour. v. 1828, 81. CEstrelata jamaicensis A. & E. Newton, Handb. Jam. 1881, 117. 2 Procellaria atlantica Gould, Ann. Mag. N. H. xiii. 1844, 362. 3 yEstrelata trinitatis Salvad. & GiGL., Ibis, 1869, 65. Salvin, Rowley's Orn. Misc. pt. iv. 1876, 253 pi. 32. * Procellaria brevirostris Less., TraitS, 1831, 611. CEstrelata brevirostris Saltin, Rowley's Orn. Misc. pt. ^STRELATA. 67 d}. Wing less than 9.50. Plumage sooty blackish ; wing 9.15, tail 3.82 (graduated for about .44), culmen 1.10, tarsus 1.46, middle toe, with claw, 1.55. Hab. West coast of Africa; vicinity of Bourbon Island. /E. aterrinia (Schleg.), Black Petrel.^ o?. Inner webs of primaries abruptly white for at least the inner half b^. Wing more than 9.00. c'. Back uniform grayish, brownish, or dusky. d}. Top of head, back, etc., plain dusky. e^. Shafts of quills whitish ; head, neck, and upper parts plain dark brownish gray, paler (nearly white) on throat and fore-neck ; breast, flanks, and under tail-coverts brownish gray; rest of lower parts sometimes white, sometimes entirely dusky; wing 11.19-11.64, tail 3.91-4.17, culmen 1.20. Hab. South Pacific, from Sunday Island to Juan Fernandez. 2E. neglecta (Schleg.), Neglected Petrel.* &. Shafts of quills dark brown ; head, neck, and upper parts plain dark slaty (feathers of head and neck white beneath sur- face, those of back, etc., white at base) ; upper tail-coverts and tail brownish ash-gray ; lores, chin, throat, and under tail-coverts white, the first mixed with blackish ; breast, belly, sides, and flanks plain brownish plumbeous, the feathers pure white immediately beneath surface ; thighs and chest white irregularl}^ barred or vei^miculated with deep grayish ; wing 10.00, tail 4.00 (graduated for .90) culmen 1.02, depth of bill at base .50, tarsus 1.20, middle toe, with claw, 1.55. Hab. Antarctic Ocean. IE. gularis (Peale), Peale's Petrel.^ d^ Top of head white, spotted with grayish. Back and scapulars fine bluish gray, or plumbeous ; lesser wing-coverts slaty blackish ; greater and middle coverts slate-gray, broadly margined with white; tail mostly white, irregularly barred and vermiculated with gray; lores, cheeks, chin, throat, middle of chest, and under tail- coverts immaculate pure white ; a blackish spot imme- diately beneath eye ; sides of neck and chest densely V. 1876, 235 (in text). uEstrelata grisea Coues, Pr. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1866, 148 (ex Procellaria grisea Kuhl, nee Lath.). CEstrelata kidderi Coxjes, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. No. 2, 1875, 28 (Kerguelen Island). 1 Procellaria aterrima " Verreaux," Schleg. Mus. P.-B., Procellarix, 1863, 9. ^atrelata aterrima CocES, Pr. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phil. 1866, 158. 2 Procellaria neglecta ScHLEG., Mus. P.-B., Procellarise, 1863, 10. ^8trelata neglecta CouES, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phil. 1866, 147. ' Procellaria gulnris Peale, Zool. U. S. Expl. Exp. 1848, 299. CEstrelata gularis Brewst., Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, iv. 1881, 94 (part). 68 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. mottled and vermiculated with ash-gray and white, but the former prevailing; lower breast, belly, sides, and flanks smoky plumbeous superficially, but the feathers all pure white immediately beneath the surface; wing 10.15, tail 4 (graduated for .90), culraen 1.00, tarsus 1.25, middle toe, with claw, 1.70. Hab. North Pacific, in vicinity of Alaska (Kadiak). 100. JE.. fisheri Eidgw. Fisher's Petrel. c^. Back plumbeous or plumbeous-black, the feathers bordered with gray- ish, or whitish, producing a scaled appearance. d}. Above plumbeous-black, the feathers of back and scapulars mar- gined with gray; hind-neck white, with tips of the feathers pale gray; forehead and lower parts white; wing 11.50, tail 5.00, tarsus 1.40, middle toe, with claw, l.t)0. Hah. Eastern South Pacific (island of Masafuera"! JE. externa Salt. Salvin's Petrel.^ d}. Above, including whole top of head, dark bluish gray, the feathers of back and scapulars broadly bordered terminally with ashy white, the middle and greater wing-coverts similarly marked ; chin, throat, chest, centre of breast, and iinder tail-coverts plain white ; rest of lower parts vermiculated and irregularly barred with slate-gray or plumbeous, this becoming uniform and some- what darker on bell}^; tail chiefly plain light brownish gray; wing 9.88, tail 3.95, culmen 1.03, depth of bill at base .46, tarsus 1.37, middle toe, with claw, 1.70. Hah. Unknown; the single specimen obtained having been taken in Livingston Co., New York, in April, 1880. 99. M. scalaris Brewst. Scaled Petrel.'' h^. Wing not more than 9.00. Above slate-gray or plumbeous, becoming more ashy anteriorly, this changing to white on forehead and over eyes ; outer surface of wings uniform ; lower parts entirely white, except sides of breast, which are ash-gray, like hind-neck ; wing 8.70-9.00, tail 3.80-4.00 (graduated for about 1.00), culmen 1.04-1.05, tarsus 1.07-1.12, middle toe, with claw, 1.40. Hah. Eastern South Pacific. JE. defilippiana Gigl. & Salvad. De Filippi's Petrel.^ 1 Qlstrelata externa Salv., Ibis, July, 1875, 373. 2 (^ "^JJ. gularis " of the A. 0. U. Check List, but not Procellaria gularia Peale.) .lEstrelata scalaris Brewst., Auk, iii. July, 1866, 300. 3 jEstrelata defilippiana Gigl. & Salvad., Ibis, 1869, 63. BULWERIA. 69 Genus BULWERIA Bonaparte. (Page 54, pi. XIY., fig. 5.) Species. Common Characters. — Plumage entii'ely dusky sooty brownish darker on upper parts. a}. Greater wing-coverts rather light sooty grayish brown, like lower parts; above dark sooty brown, paler on greater wing-coverts, nearly black on lesser wing- coverts and quills ; lower parts uniform sooty grayish brown. Downy young : Uniform dark sooty brown. Length about 10.00, wing 7.70-8.00, tail 4.50- 4.75, graduated for 1.45-1.75, culmen .85-1.00, tarsus .90-1.10, middle toe .95. Egg 1.73 X 1-22. Hab. Eastern Middle Atlantic, chiefly in the vicinity of the Canaries and Madeira ; accidental at Bermudas and near coast of Green- land 101. B. bulweri (Jard. & Selby). Bulwer's Petrel. a\ Greater wing-coverts blackish, like rest of wings. (" Like T. bulweri, but with bill rather larger; and it is without the sooty brown on the wings." — Gray.) B. macgillivrayi (Gray). Macgillivray's Petrel.^ Genus DAPTION Stephens. (Page 55, pi. XII., fig. 3.) Species. Lower parts (except chin and throat), rump, upper tail-coverts, and basal two- thirds of tail, together with greater portion of scapulars and secondaries, white; back, rump, and upper tail-coverts, marked with triangular spots of dark sooty plumbeous ; wing, except as described, chiefly sooty plumbeous, as is also the terminal third of the tail; bill deep black; length about 15.00, wing 10.25-11.00, culmen about 1.25. Hab. Southern seas in general, north, on Pacific coast of America (accidentally only ?) to California 102. D. capensis (Linn.). Pintado Petrel. Genus HALOCYPTENA Coues. (Page 56, pi. XII., fig. 4.) Species. Plain sooty blackish, lighter and more brownish on lower parts, middle and greater wing-coverts, and fore part of head ; bill and feet unifoi-m black ; length about 5.75, wing 4.80, tail 2.50, the outer feathers .40 shorter; culmen .45, tarsus .85, middle toe .60. Hab. Coast of Lower California. 103. H. microsoma Coues. Least Petrel. Genus PROCELLARIA Linn^us. (Page 56, pi. XVII., fig. 4.) Species. Common Characters. — General color sooty blackish, paler or more sooty grayish below, the upper tail-coverts white ; bill and feet wholly black. ^ Thalaesidroma {Bulweria) Macgillivrayi G. R. Gray, Cat. Birds Isl. Pacific, 1859, 56. 70 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. o}. Longer upper tail-coverts broadly tipped with black; under side of wing with more or less of white; tail even, or slightly rounded ; length 5.50-5.75, wing 4.50-4.90, tail 2.40-2.60, culraen .40-.50, tarsus .90, middle toe .60-.65. Egg 1.09 X -83. Hab. North Atlantic, south to Newfoundland Banks and western coast of Africa 104. P. pelagica Linn. Storm Petrel. a?. Longer upper tail-coverts entirely white ; no white on under side of wing ; tail emarginated ; wing 5.20, tail 2.40, the middle feathers .20 shorter ; tarsus .85, middle toe (with claw ?) .70. Hab. Vicinity of the Galapagos Islands. P. tethys BoNAP. Galapagos Storm Petrel.^ Genus OCEANODROMA Eeichenbach. (Page 56, pi. XVII., figs. 1, 2.) Species. Common Characters. — Above dusky or grayish, with or without white on upper tail-coverts ; lower parts uniform bluish gray or sooty, or white interrupted by a grayish band across chest. a}. No white on upper tail-coverts. &\ A white collar round hind-neck. Lower parts white, with a gra5nsh collar across chest; upper parts grayish, the quills blackish, the forehead and sides of head white; length about 8.25, wing ?, tail 3.75, tarsus 1.00. Hab. North Pacific ("Northwest coast of America"). — . O. hornbyi (Gray). Hornby's Petrel. IP. No white collar round hind-neck. c* Color bluish gray, above and below. Uniform bluish gray, fading to white on chin, throat, and under tail-coverts ; orbital region, longer scapulars, innermost wing- coverts, anterior and outer lesser wing-coverts, together with quills, dusky ; other lesser coverts, middle and greater coverts, and tertials, broadly edged with ashy white ; length 8.00-9.20, wing- 5.90-6.40, tair3.75-4.00 (forked for about 1.00). Egg 1.37 X 1-03. Hab. North Pacific, south on the American side to Oregon 105. O. furcata (Gmel.). Fork-tailed Petrel. c'. Color sooty brownish or dusky, above and below. 0}. Wing more than 6.50 ; tarsus 1.00, or more. e\ Sooty blackish, lighter and browner beneath, the greater wing- coverts and outer webs of tertials light grayish brown ; wing 6.80, tail 3.90 (forked for about 1.20), tarsus 1.20. Hah. Coast of Mexico, north to Lower California. 107. O, melania (Bonap.). Black Petrel. e^ Sooty slate-color, the head, including throat, appreciably paler and more plumbeous; greater wing-coverts light grayish; 1 Procellaria tethys BoNAP., Comp. Rend, xxxviii. 1854, 662 ; Consp. ii. 1857, 197. Salv. Trans. Zool. Soo. Lond. ix. pt. ix. 1875, 507, pi. 88, fig. 2. OCEANITES. 71 wing 6.90, tail 3.80 (forked for about 1.20), tarsus 1.00. Ilab. Coast of Peru, O. markhami (Salt.). Markham's Petrel.^ d^. Wing less than 6.00 ; tarsus less than 1.00. Smoky plumbeous, the wing-coverts lighter and more brown, quills and tail dusky, rump and upper tail-coverts ashy plumbeous ; wing 5.30-5.40, tail 3.30-3.50 (forked for .70- .90), tarsus .80-90. Hab. Coast of California. 108. O. homochroa (Coues). Ashy Petrel. a}. Upper tail-coverts white. h^. Upper tail-coverts without black tips ; tail-feathers grayish at base ; uni- form sooty, darker above ; upper tail-coverts white, usually more or less mixed with grayish; length 7.50-8.90, wing 6.00-6.30, tail 3.50-4.00 (forked for .80-.90), tarsus .90-95 ; feet (including webs) entirely black. Egg 1.33 X -97. Hab. Seas of the northern hemisphere. 106. O. leucorhoa (Vieill.). Leach's Petrel. h^. Longer upper tail-coverts broadly tipped with black ; tail-feathers exten- sively pure white at base ; bill and feet (including webs) entirely black ; wing 5.80-6.30, tail 3.00-3.15 (forked for .20-.30), tarsus .85-.90. Hab. Sandwich Islands. O. cryptoleucura Kidgw. Sandwich Island Petrel.^ Genus OCEANITES Keyserling & Blasius. (Page 56, pi. XVII., fig. 3.) Species. Common Characters. — Sooty blackish, lighter beneath, the tail and quills nearly or quite black ; upper tail-coverts white. a}. Belly entirely dusky ; webs of feet mostly yellowish ; tail even or very slightly emarginated; length about 7.00-7.25, wing 5.70-6.20, tail 3.00-3.25, tarsus 1.30-1.35. Hab. Cosmopolitan (on the high seas). 109. O. oceanicus (Kuhl). Wilson's Petrel. «^ Belly white ; webs of feet apparently wholly dusky ; tail distinctly emarginated; wing 5.20, tail 2.30 (forked for about .30), tarsus 1.15. Hab. Coast of Chili. O. gracilis (Elliot). Graceful Petrel.* Genus CYMODROMA Eidgwat. (Page 56, pi. XV., fig. 3.) Species. Common Characters.— Head, neck, breast, and upper parts dusky, varying from brownish black to plumbeous, the feathers of back and scapulars sometimes (in fresh plumage) margined terminally with ashy whitish. 1 Cymochorea markhami Salt., P. Z. S. 1883, 430. 2 Cymochorea cryptoleucura RiDGW., Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. iv. 1882, 337 ; Water B. N. Am. ii. 1884, 406. 3 Thalassidroma gracilis Elliot, Ibis, Oct. 1859, 391. Oceanitea gracilis Coues, Pr. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phil. 1864, 85. 72 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. a}. Lower tail-coverts and belly white. h^. Throat and collar round hind-neck white ; length 8.75-9.00 ; tail emarginated for about .75 ; tarsus 1.65-1.75, middle toe, with claw, 1.25, or more. Hab. Intertropical seas. C. tropica (Gould). Tropical Petrel.' V^. Throat usually with only concealed white, and without white on hind-neck ; length 7.50-8.00, wing 6.00-6.50, tail 3.00-3.30, even; tarsus 1.40-1.60, middle toe, with claw, 1.05-1.10. Hah. Intertroj^ical seas, north, casually, to coast of Florida. 110. C. grallaria (Vieill.). White-bellied Petrel. a?. Lower tail-coverts and belly dusky. No white on hind-neck, but throat sometimes white, and feathers of forehead white beneath surface ; dusky of belly usually connected with that on chest ; length 8.50-8.75 ; tail usually emarginated for about .75 ; wing 6.25-6.75, tarsus 1.60-1.70, middle toe, with claw, 1.05-1.15. Hab. South Pacific. C. melanogaster (Gould). Black-bellied Storm Petrel.^ Genus PELAGODROMA Eeichenbach. (Page 56, pi. XV., fig. 2.) Species. Forehead, superciliary stripe, and lower parts, pure white; top of head, broad stripe behind eye, and upper parts generally, slate-color, sometimes inclining to plumbeous ; upper tail-coverts light ash-gray ; quills and tail-feathers blackish ; bill black ; tarsi deep black ; feet black, the webs mostly yellowish ; wing 5.90-6.40, tail 2.90-3.30 (forked for .25-.35), tarsus 1.52-1.70, middle toe, with claw, 1.37-1.40. Hab. Southern seas, accidental off coast of Massachusetts. 111. P, marina (Lath.). White-faced Petrel. 1 Thalassidroma tropica Godld, P. Z. S. 1837, 366. 2 Thalassidroma melanogastra Gould, Ann. Mag. N. H. xiii. 1841, 367 ; B. Austr. vii. 1818, pi. 62. STEGANOPODES. 73 Order STEGANOPODES.— The Totipal- MATE Swimmers. (Pagei.) Families. a}. Nostrils distinct ; lateral toes neai"ly equal, and nearly as long as the middle one; whole head feathered. Bill conical, compressed, pointed, without terminal hook, or unguis ; culmen curved ; edge of upper mandible very concave ; tail short, gradu- ated, the middle pair of feathers, in adults, very narrow and greatly elongated Phaethonlidse. (Page 73.) a^ Nostrils not perceptible ; lateral toes unequal, and one or the other of them much shorter than the middle one; head partly naked. b^. Bill conical, the tip of the upper mandible without distinct hook, or unguis. c^ Bill very thick through the base, the tip slightly curved; tail about half as long as the wing, gi*aduated or cuueate, the feathers narrow- ing toward the rather pointed tips Sulidae. (Page 74.) d. Bill slender, the outlines (culmen especially) nearly straight; head very small, the neck extremely long and slender; tail nearly as long as the wing, rounded (fan-shaped when spread), the feathers very broad, the middle pair transversely corrugated in the adult. Anhingidse. (Page 76.) b"^. Upper mandible terminated by a distinct hook, or unguis. c\ Tarsus moderately lengthened, much longer than the hind toe, including its claw. d\ Bill shorter than middle toe, compressed ; gular sac small, scarcely distensible ; outer toe much longer than middle. Phalacrocoracidae. (Page 77.) (P. Bill much longer than middle toe, much flattened ; gular pouch very large, and greatly distensible ; outer toe shorter than middle. Pelecanidae. (Page 81.) c^. Tarsus excessively short, hardly equalling the hind toe (including its claw) in length. Wings and tail excessively lengthened, the latter deeply forked ; middle toe much longer than the outer, its claw flattened and fringed on inner edge ; webs very small, occupying less than half the space between the toes Fregatidse. (Page 82.) Family PHAETHONTIDiE.— The Tropic Birds. (Page 73.) Genera. (Characters same as those of the Family) Phaethon. (Page 74.) 10 74 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. Genus PHAETHON Linn^us. (Page 73, pi. XVIII., fig. 1.) Species. Common Characters. — Plumage very compact, satiny; color white (sometimes tinged with pink or salmon-color), varied with blackish on upper parts; bill red, orange, or yellow in adults ; tarsi and base of toes yellowish, rest of feet black. Nest a cavity among rocks on sea-shore of oceanic islands. Egg ovate, dilute claret- brown or whitish speckled, sprinkled, spotted, or blotched with deep claret-brown. a}. Elongated middle tail-feathers with their webs very much broader than the moderately rigid shaft. Ip-. Bill yellow or orange. Adult : lengthened tail-feathers pinkish or salmon- colored, with black shafts ; no black bars on upper parts, the black being in form of patches on scapulars, etc. Young : Upper parts irregularly barred with black ; tail-feathers marked with a black spot near the end, the middle pairs not elongated. Length (of adult, including lengthened tail-feathers) 25.00-32.00, wing about 11.00, elongated tail-feathers 20.00, or less, culmen 2.25. Egg 2.21 X 1-54. Hab. Intertropical seas, chiefly middle western Atlantic, especially in vicinity of the Bermudas and throughout West Indies, north to Florida ; South Pacific (Samoan Islands) ; accidental in western New York. 112. P. flavirostris Brandt. Yellow-billed Tropic Bird. b^. Bill coral-red. Adult: Lengthened middle tail-feathers pure white, with white shafts (except toward base) ; upper parts irregularly barred with blackish. Young : (Not seen.) Length (of adult with perfectly devel- oped middle tail-feathers) 30.00-35.00, wing 11.75-12.50, elongated tail- feathers 22.00, or less, culmen about 2.50. Egg 2.22 X 1-59. Hab. Coasts of tropical America (both sides), north to Lower California and West Indies ; casual at the Newfoundland Banks. 113. P. sethereus Linn. Red-billed Tropic Bird. «*. Elongated middle tail-feathers with their webs much narrower than the very rigid shaft. Bill yellowish. Adidt : Lengthened middle tail-feathers dull reddish, with black shafts ; wing 13.00, or more, culmen about 2.50. JIab. South Pacific. P. rubricaudus Bodd. Red-tailed Tropic Bird.* Family SULIDi©,— The Gannets. (Page 73.) Genera. (Characters same as for the Family) Sula. (Page 75.) 1 Phaeton rubricauda Bodd., Tabl. P. E. 1783, 67 {ex Buff. PI. Enl. 979). SULA. 75 Genus SULA Brisson. (Page 74, pi. XIX., figs. 1, 2.) Nest a rude platform of sticks, etc., on rocks, trees, or bushes by sea-shore. Eggs 1-2, elliptical or elongate-ovate, chalk-white suj)erficially, but beneath the calcareous crust pale greenish blue. Species. a}. "Whole lower jaw, together with chin and entire throat, naked. (Subgenus Sula.) b^. Young with upper parts variegated. Young (?) : Head, neck, and lower parts white ; upper parts dark grayish brown, the feathers with white tips; bill purplish, the upper mandible grayish horn-color; feet dusky (in dried skins); wing 14.60, tail 7.75, culmen 3.60, depth of bill at base 1.20. Jfab. Coast of Peru. S. variegata (Tschxjdi). Peruvian Booby.^ b''. Young with uj^per parts unicolored. c^. Naked skin of face and throat blackish (dark bluish in life). Adult : White, the remiges, greater wing-coverts, primary coverts, and alulae dark sooty brown ; middle tail-feathers hoary whitish, dusky at tips ; rest of tail-feathers dark sooty brown, whitish basally ; feet reddish (drying pale brownish or yellowish). Young : Head, neck, and upper parts plain dai'k grayish brown, part of the back and rump streaked with white ; lower parts white, the flanks streaked with grayish ; length 25.50-29.00, wing 16.15-17.80, tail 7.75-9.10, culmen 3.95-4.15, depth of bill at base 1.40-1.60. Eggs 2, 2.46 X 1-74. Hah. Intertropical seas, espeeiall}^ the South Pacific and in West Indies, breeding north to the Bahamas ; southern Florida. 114. S. cyanops Sund. Blue-faced Booby. c^ Naked skin of face and throat light colored (yellowish or reddish in life). d}: Feet greenish or yellowish. Adidt : Head, neck, breast, and upper parts dark sooty brown, the head and neck hoary grayish, in older (?) specimens, sometimes nearly white anteriorly ; lower parts, from breast backward, white. Young : Nearly uniform sooty brown, paler beneath. Length 30.00-31.00, wing 14.15- 16.60 (15.72), tail 6.50-9.70 (8.23), culmen 3.25-3.95 (3.74), depth of bill at base .95-1.40 (1.24). Eggs 2, 2.24 x 1-58. Hab. Tropical and subtropical coasts of America, north to Georgia and northwestern Mexico 115. S. sula (Linn.). Booby. 1 Dyaporiis varieffatus TscHUDi, "Weigm. Archiv. 1843, 390. Sula variegata ScL. & Salt., Nom. Neotr. 1873, 124. 76 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. d?. Feet always reddish. Adult : White, the head and neck tinged with buff, the shafts of the tail-feathers j-ellowish; remiges hoary slate. Young: Above sooty brown, the quills and tail- feathers moi'e hoary ; head, neck, and lower parts light smoky gi'ay. (Plumage extremely variable, scarcely two specimens being alike.) Length about 27.00-30.00, wing 14.00-16.10 (15.04), tail 7.75-10.65 (8.93), culmen 3.05-3.50 (3.26), depth of bill at base .95-1.20 (1.07). Eggs 2, 2.56x1-80. Hab. Intertrojncal seas, north to Florida and Lower California. 116. S. piscator (Linn.). Red-footed Booby. rtl Lower jaw {i.e., malar region), together with sides of chin and throat, densely feathered. (Subgenus Dysporus.) Legs and feet blackish. Adult : White, the remiges dusky brown, the head and neck above washed with buff. Young : Dusky, everywhere streaked or speckled with white. Downy young : Entirely covered with fluffy yellowish white down. Length 30.00-40.50, wing about 19.50, tail 10.00, culmen 4.00. Eggs 1, 3.00 X 1-92. Hah. Coasts of the North At- lantic, south, in winter, to the Gulf of Mexico and northern Africa; breeding from Nova Scotia and British Islands northward. 117. S. bassana (Linn.). Gannet. Family ANHINGID^.— The Anhingas. (Page 73.) Genera. (Characters as given for the Famil}-) Anhinga. (Page 76.) Genus ANHINGA Brisson. (Page 76, pi. XIX., fig. 3.) Species. Adult male in summer : Head, neck, and body glossy greenish black ; other parts deep black, the scapulars and lesser wing-coverts beautifully spotted (longitu- dinally) with light silvery gray ; exposed surface of middle and greater wing- coverts light silvery gray; tail broadly tipped with pale brown, passing into whitish terminally ; sides of neck and hinder part of head, ornamented with length- ened, loose-webbed, or hair-like feathers of a dirty whitish or pale grayish lilac color ; feathers of hind-neck also elongated and hair-like, forming a sort of mane, but black. Adult male in winter : Similar, but lacking all the elongated feathers of liead and neck. Adult female in summer : Head, neck, and breast grayish buff, darker on top of head, lighter on breast, where bordered below by a band of chestnut next to the black of the belly ; sides of upper neck with a few whitish loose-webbed feathers; otherwise, colored like the male. Adult female in winter : Similar to sum- mer plumage, but lacking entirely any ornamental, or lengthened, feathers on head or neck. Young in second year (?) : Similar to adult female, but lower parts duller PHALACROCORAX. 77 black, the chestnut chest-band wanting, and upper parts much duller black, or dusky grayish brown, with the light markings indistinct. Young in first year : Similar to the preceding, but lower parts dull grayish buff, darker posteriorly; transverse corrugations on tail-feathers obsolete. Downy young : Entirely uniform buff. Length 32 25-36.00, wing about 14.00, tail 11.00, culmen 3.25. West a rude structure of sticks, etc., in trees or bushes overhanging or near fresh-water rivers, ponds, or lakes. J^ggs 2-4, 2.12 X 1-34, ovate or elongate-ovate, pale bluish green, with a more or less continuous white calcareous superficial covering. JIab. The whole of tropical and subtropical America, north to South Carolina, southern Illinois (vicinity of Cairo), and western Mexico. 118. A. anhinga (Linn.). Anhinga. Family PHALACROCORACID^.— The Cormorants. (Page 73.) Genera. (Characters same as for the Family) Phalacrocorax. (Page 77.) Genus PHALACROCORAX Brisson. (Page 77, pi. XX., figs. 1, 2; pi. XXIL, fig. 1.) West a rude structure of sticks, etc., placed on trees, bushes, or rocks, near water. Eggs 2-5, elongate-ovate, pale bluish green, with a more or less continuous white chalky crust. Species. a\ Bill stout, with decidedly curved upper outline, the middle portion of the cul- men being appreciabl.y concave, the terminal nail, or unguis, more or less arched, strongly hooked, and occupying one-third, or more, of the entire length of the upper mandible, measured to the base of the culmen. (Sub- genus Phalacrocorax.) b\ Tail-feathers 14. Adult : A whitish patch adjoining base of gular pouch ; rest of head, neck, and lower parts blue-black ; back and wing-coverts grayish brown, each feather bordered with black. Nuptial plumage : Head ornamented with white filamentous feathers, occiput with a short mane-like crest, and flanks with a large white patch. Young in sec- ond year (?) : Head, neck, and chest dull grayish brown, becoming dusky on top of head and hind-neck, and brownish white on throat; rest of lower parts brownish dusky, mixed with white along the median line. Young in first year (?) : Upper part of throat, chest, breast, and middle of belly, white, streaked, except on throat, with grayish brown ; top of head, and greater part of neck, grayish brown. Nestling : Naked skin dull livid slate, feet purplish dusky, with yellowish brown legs, the gular sac and inside of mouth flesh- color. Length 34.00-40.00, wing 12.90-14.00, tail 7.25-7.75, culmen 78 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 2.30-2.85. Eggs 2.50 X IGl. Hab. Europe, together with portions of Asia and Africa; Atlantic coast of North America, south, in winter, to coast of New Jersey. 119. P. carbo (Linn.). Cormorant. h\ Tail-feathers 12. &. Wing more than 11.00. Adult : Greenish black; back and wings slaty brown, the feathers bordered with black. Nuptial plumage : On each side of the crown, behind eye, a tuft of lengthened, narrow, curved, somewhat loose-webbed feathers ; gular pouch bright orange (in life). Young in first year (J) : Head and neck grayish brown, lighter next to gular sac, darker on top and behind ; lower parts brownish, darker laterallj^ and j^osteriorly ; gular sac yel- lowish. Young, before moulting (?) : Similar to the preceding, but throat, foi-e-neck, chest, and breast paler, sometimes quite white, or much mixed with this color. d}. Nuptial crests chiefly or entirely black. e\ Length 29.00-3.3.50, wing 12.00-13.00 (12.50), culmen 2.00-2.45 (2.25). Eggs 2.52 X 1-59. Hab. Northeastern North America, south, in winter, to Gulf coast, breeding from northern United States northward 120. P. dilophus (Sw. & Rich.). Double-crested Cormorant. e\ Length 21.25-30.00, wing 11.20-12.50 (11.75), culmen 2.00-2.40 (2.17). Eggs 2.36x1-48. Hab. South Atlantic and Gulf States, and lower Mississippi Valley, north to southern Illinois. l\%a. P. dilophus floridanus (Aud.). Florida Cormorant. d"^. Nuptial crests chiefly or entirely white. e^ Length about 36.00, wing 12.50-14.00 (13 70), culmen 2.25-2.55 (2.40). Hab. Northwest coast of North America, from . . Alaska south (in winter) to California... \l^b. P. dilophus cincinatus (Brandt). White-crested Cormorant. e\ Length about 25.00-31.00, wing 11.75-13.00 (12.23), culmen 1.90-2.35 (2.15). Eggs 2.40 X 1-47. Hab. Coast of Cali- fornia, south to western Mexico (Socorro Island).. 118(7. P. dilophus albociliatus Ridgw. Farallone Cormorant, cl Wing less than 10.50. Adult : Brownish black, with a white line bordering the base of the gular sac ; mantle dull brownish slate, the feathers bordered with black. Nuptial plumage: Head, neck, and ventral region ornamented with scattered, small, short, white filamentous feathers ; pouch brownish in life. Young : Head, neck, and lower parts grayish brown, darker on top of head, hind-neck, sides, and under tail-coverts, much paler (sometimes whitish) on upper part of throat (adjacent to gular sac). Young, before moulting (f) ; Similar to the preceding, but throat, fore-neck, PHALACROCORAX. 79 chest, and breast much jDaler, sometimes nearly white, or much mixed with this color. Length 23.00-28.75, wing 9.95-10.40, culmen 1.70-2.00. Eggs 2.21 X 1.42. Ilab. Mexico, Cuba, Gulf States, and lower Mississippi Yalley north to southern Illinois (vicinitj" of Cairo) and eastern Kansas. 121. P. mexicanus (Brandt). Mexican Cormorant. rtl Bill slender, with upper outline nearly or quite straight, the nail small, not arched, and occupying not more than one-fourth the total length of the upper mandible, measured to the base of the culmen (except in P. perspicil- latus, in which, however, other characters than the last mentioned are as above). b^. Tail very short (less than half as long as the wing), slightly rounded, com- posed of 14 feathers; bill decidedly higher than broad at base; no crests or tufts on head or white patch on flanks in nuptial plumage. (Subgenus Compsohalieus Ridgw.) Adult : Head and neck glossy blue-black, with a patch of light brown or brownish white adjoining base of gular sac ; lower parts soft ■ dark bottle-green ; scapulars and wing-coverts dark dull greenish, bordered narrrowly with black. Nuptial plumage: Uppermost scapulars and sides of neck ornamented with long, white or pale straw-colored bristly filaments ; gular sac blue. Young : Head, neck, and rump silky dark brown, nearl}'' black on hind-neck ; upper part of throat and median lower parts paler brown ; chest, breast, sides, and flanks, brown. Length about 35.00, wing 10.50-11.75, tail 5.50- 6.50, culmen 2.60-2.95. Eggs 2 54 X 1-53. Mab. Pacific coast, from Cape St. Lucas to the Columbia Eiver. ^'''' 122. P. penicillatus (Brandt). Brandt's Cormorant. b'^. Tail much longer than.wing, graduated, composed of 12 feathers (except in perspicillatus) ; bill oroader than high at base ; nuptial plumage orna- mented with double crests, or tufts (one on crown, the other on nape), of broad soft feathers, and flanks with a large white patch. (Subgenus Urile Bo NAP.) c\ Culmen less than 2.50 ; tail-feathers 12. d^. .Feathering on side of lower jaw forming a deep projecting angle, the point of which advances forward to beyond the anterior angle of the eye. Adult: Feathers of forehead advancing to base of culmen; gular sac and naked lores dull coral-red, or reddish brown ; head and neck rich, glossy, silky violet-black, more purplish toward head, the lower part of the neck inclining to steel- blue, changing gradually to silky dark green on lower parts ; rump also silky dark green ; scapulars and wing- coverts bottle-green, tinged more or less with bronzy purplish. Nuptial plumage : Neck and rump ornamented with narrow, pure white filamentous feathers, and flanks 80 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. with a large patch of pure white. Young : Uniform brownish dusky, lighter and inclining to brownish gray on head, the uj^per parts darker and more glossy, with a faint greenish reflection. Nestling: Covered with down of a uniform dark sooty gray color. Length 25.00-29.00. e\ Wing 9.50-10.60 (10.10), tail 6.00-6.75 (0.30), culmen 1.70-2.00 (1.85). Mab. Coast of Kamtschatka, and Aleutian Islands ; south, in winter, to Ivurils and northern Japan. 123. P. pelagicus Pall. Pelagic Cormorant. e\ Wing 10.00-11.40 (10.80), tail 6.25-8.50 (7.00), culmen 1.70-2,10 (1.95) ; bill much stouter than in pelagicus. ^^^s 2.34 X 1-48. Hab. Coast of Alaska, from Norton Sound south to Washington Territory 123a. P. pelagicus robustus Eidgw. Violet-green Cormorant. €^ Wing 9.30-10.50 (9.79), tail 5.80-7.00 (6.30), culmen 1.65-2.00 (1.81) ; bill more slender than in pelagicus. Eggs 2.29 X 1-49. Hab. Pacific coast, from Washing- ton Territory to western Mexico (Mazatlan and Cape St. Lucas)... 1236. P. pelagicus resplendens (Aud.). Baird's Cormorant. d?. Feathering on side of lower jaw forming a slight or very obtuse angle, the point of which does not advance farther forward than beneath the middle of the eye (usually not nearly so far). Adult : Feathers of forehead separated from the oase of the culmen by a strip of bare skin, connecting the naked lores ; gular pouch blue, bordered behind by pui'pHsh red corru- gations ; lores, orbits, and naked frontal skin bright orange (in life) ; plumage very similar to that of P. pelagicus, but neck decidedly more blue, the scapulars and wnng-coverts decidedly purplish. Young .• Uniform brownish dusky, with a faint purplish cast, the upper parts darker and more glossy. Doxony young : Covered with down of a uniform sooty grayish brown color. Length 31.00-35.00, wing 10.50-11.60, tail 6.30-8.00, culmen 2.05-2.30. Eggs 2.44 X 1-49. Hab. Prybilof, Aleutian, and Kuril Islands, and coast of Kamtschatka, south, in winter, to northern Japan 124. P. urile (Gmel.). Red-faced Cormorant. c*. Culmen 3.75, or more ; tail-feathers 14. Nuptial plumage : Head rich, glossy, silky violet-purple, neck glossy greenish blue, body rich dark green ; head and neck ornamented with slender straw-yellow filamentous feathers, and flanks with a large patch of white; scapulars and wing-coverts deep purplish ; quills and tail-feathers black, the latter with PELECANUS. g, white shafts. (In life, eye surrounded by a broad white ring of naked skin ; naked skin round base of bill, and gular sac, mixed red, white, and blue.) Length about 36.00; weio-ht about 12-14 lbs.; wing 13.00, tail 9.00, culmen 3.75. Hab. Formerly, Bering Island, but now extinct there ; possibly still existing in some of the westernmost Aleutian Islands. — . P. perspicillatus Pall. Pallas's Cormorant. Family PELECANID^.— The Pelicans. (Page 73.) Genera. (Characters same as for the Family) Pelecanus. (Page 81.) Genus PELECANUS Linn^us. (Page 81, pi. XXL, figs. 1, 2.) Eggs 1-4, oval, ovate, or elongate-ovate, with rough chalky shell, pure white but usually much blood-stained. ' Species. a\ Tail-feathers 24; lower jaw densely feathered; color white, with blackish remiges. (Subgenus Cyrtopelicanus Eeich.') Adult: Entirely white, with quills entirely black, the secondaries also chiefly black. Nuptial plumage : Culmen with a median elevated horny ridge, situated a little forward of the middle portion ; a pendent occipital crest of white or pale straw-yellow ; lanceolate lesser wing-coverts and similarly formed feathers of chest, pale straw-yellow, or, rarely, purplish buff; pouch and bill chiefly reddish (in life), the former paler terminally ; feet intense orange-red. Post-nvj^ttal plumage : Similar in all respects to the preceding, except that the appendage to culmen and the occipital crest are wanting (having been shed), the latter replaced by a patch of short grayish feathers. Winter adult : Plumage as in the preceding, but gray occipital patch wanting, yellowish color of chest and lesser wino-- coverts paler, and colors of bill, face, pouch, and feet much less intense, a clear lemon-yellow being the prevailing tint. Young : Plumage white,' but lesser wing-coverts and feathers of top of head brownish gray cen- trall}^, chest-feathers short, blended, and pure white, the bill, pouch, face, and feet pale yellowish. Length about 4.i-nearly 6 feet, extent 8*- nearly 10 feet, weight about 17 lbs, wing 20.00-25.25, culmen 11.05-15.00. JVest a rude mound or heap of gravel and rubbish, flattened or slightly hollowed on top, on beach or bench usually of island in some lake or targe ' The typical subgenus (Pelecanus proper), having for its type the P. onocrotalus of southern Europe is not represented in America. 11 82 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. inland body of water. Eggs 1-3 or 4, 3.34 X 2.22. Hah. Whole of tem- perate North America, north in the interior to about 61°, south, in winter, as far as Guatemala ; rare along Atlantic coast of the United States 125. P. erythrorhynchos Gmel. American White Pelican. a^. Tail-feathers 22 ; lower jaw entirelj" naked ; color chiefly grayish mixed with dusky. (Subgenus Leptopelicanus Eeich.) Nuptial plumage : Head, and feathers bordering base of gular pouch, all round, white, the top of the former sometimes straw-yellowish ; rest of neck rich velvety reddish brown, varying from light reddish chestnut to seal-skin brown, or nearly black ; upper part of hind-neck with a more or less distinct crest of chestnut; upper parts silvery gray, the feathers of back, rump, lesser wing-coverts, etc., edged with dark brown, producing a striped or streaked appearance ; lower parts dark brownish gray, the sides, etc., streaked Math silvery white. Winte?- adult : Similar, but whole head and neck white, except for a straw-yellow tinge on the former and on the lower part of the fore-neck. Young : Head and neck light brownish gray, somewha^t mottled with paler tips to the feathers; back, wing-coverts, etc., dull brown, the feathers tipped with pale ful- vous ; lower parts white, tinged with brownish gray laterally and pos- teriorly. b^. Smaller, with pouch always dull greenish dusky or olive-dusky; length about 4-4J feet, wing 18 50-21.00, culmen 9.40-12.20. JVest a slight heap or mound of gravel, etc., on or near sea-beach. Eggs 3.01 X 1-95- Hab. Coasts and islands of Gulf of Mexico and Carib- bean Sea, including West Indies ; north, regularly, to North Caro- lina, accidentally (blown by storm?) to Illinois. 126. P. fuscus Linn. Brown Pelican. b^. Larger, with pouch red during pairing season ; length 4J feet, or more, wing 20.50-23.25, culmen 12.25-14.75. Ilab. Pacific coast from Washington Territory to western Mexico (perhaps to Panama, or farther).. 127. P. californicus Eidgw. California Brown Pelican. Family FREGATIDiE.— The Man-o'-War Birds. (Page 73.) Genera. (Characters same as for the Family) Fregata. (Page 82.) Genus FREGATA Cuvier. (Page 82, pi. XVIII., fig. 2.) Species. a'. Culmen more than 4.15. Adiilt male: Entirely black, the lanceolate scapulars and interscapulars glossed with metallic bottle-green and reddish purple. Adult female : FREGATA. 83 Dull black, the central lesser wing-coverts light grayish brown, the scapulars, etc., only slightly metallic, and not lanceolate ; breast and sides whitish. Young : Head, neck, breast, and belly, white ; otherwise, much as in the adult female. Downy young : Covered with very fluffy pure white down. Length 37.50-41.00, wing 22.00-27.10 (24.90), tail 14.25-19.25 (17.73), forked for more than half its length; culmen 4.25- 5.15 (4.62). Nest a rude structure of sticks on trees or bushes (usually mangroves) along sea-shore. Eggs (usually only 1), 2.70 X 1.83, pure white, oval, ovate, or elongate-ovate. Hah. Tropical and subtropical seas, chiefly north of the equator ; north regularly to Florida, Texas, and California, accidentally to Nova Scotia, Ohio, and Kansas. 128. F. aquila (Linn.). Man-o'-War Bird. o}. Culmen less than 4.15. In plumage not very obviously different from F. aquila. Wing 20.50-25.25 (21.53), tail 15.75-17.10 (16.27), culmen 3.65-4.10 (3.90). Hah. Tropical parts of the South Pacific. F. minor (Gmel.). Lesser Man-o'-War Bird.^ 1 Pelecanus minor Gmel., S. N. i. 1788, 572. Fregata minor Ridgw., in B. B. & R. Water B. N. Am. ii. 1884, 128. 84 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. Order ANSERES. — The Lamellirostral Swimmers. (Page i.) Families. (Characters same as for the Order) Anatidae. (Page 84.) Family ANATIDiE. — The Ducks, Geese, and Swans. (Page 84.) Eggs numerous, always unmarked, with a hard and usually smooth shell. Genera. i}. Keck shorter than body. b^. Tarsus shorter than middle toe, without claw. c\ Lower mandible without trace of lamellae along the side, but with a series of distinct, tooth-like serrations along the upper edge. (Subfamily Merginoi^ d}. Culmen longer than tarsus, and three times, or more, the depth of bill at base. e\ Serrations of both mandibles very conspicuously tooth-like, and strongly inclined backward at tips. Merganser. (Page 88.) e^. Sex'rations of both mandibles short, blunt, and not distinctly inclined backward at tips Lophodytes. (Page 89.) d'\ Culmen shorter than tarsus Mergus. (Page 90.) c^. Lower mandible with a very distinct series of lamellae along the side, in addition to the series along upper edge. (Subfamily Anatince.) d}. Lower portion of tarsus in front with a row of transverse scutellce. e^. Lores entirely densely feathered ; wing less than 12.00. f^. Tail normal. g^. Hind-toe without a distinct membraneous lobe. h^. Bill not spatulate. i^. Tail-feathers narrow and pointed at tip. /. Tail graduated for less than one-third its total length, or else consisting of only 14 feathers, and culmen shorter than middle toe without tarsus. Anas. (Page 90.) j^. Tail graduated for more than one-third its total length, consisting of 16 ANATID^. 85 feathers, and eulmen longer than middle toe, without claw. Dafila. (Page 97.) f . Tail-feathers broad and rounded at tips. Aix. (Page 98.) A^ Bill spatulate (very broad near end and narrow at base) Spatula. (Page 96.) Hind toe with a broad, membraneous lobe. h}. Feathei'ing on lores or forehead not reaching beyond posterior border of nostril. i}. Graduation of tail less than length of bill from nostril. j^. Loral feathering with a decidedly convex anterior outline ; nail less than one- third as wide as width of bill across middle portion. Aythya. (Page 101.) p. Loral feathering with straight or even slightl}^ concave anterior outline ; nail more than one-third as wide as bill across middle portion. Netta. (Page 100.) ^^. Graduation of tail much more than length of bill fi'om nostril. /. Distance from tip of bill to loral feather- ing less than graduation of tail. A'\ Distance from anterior end of nos- tril to loral feathers equal to or greater than width of bill at base. Z\ Distance from anterior end of nostril to tip of bill much less than from same point to loral feathers ; tail less than twice as long as tarsus. Glaucionetta. (Page 104.) P. Distance from anterior end of nostril to tip of bill much greater than from same point to loral feathers ; tail more than twice as long as tarsus. Charitonetta. (Page 106.) k^. Distance from anterior end of nos- tril to loral feathering much less than width of bill at base. 86 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. l^. Distance from posterior end of nostril to loral featliers equal to or greater than length of nostril ; anterior outline of loral feathering strongly convex. Histrionicus. (Page 107.) P. Distance from posterior end of nostril to loral feathers less than half the length of the nostril ; anterior outline of loral feathering forming a nearly straight line, run- ning obliquely backward and downward from near nostril to corner of mouth. Clangula. (Page 106.) f. Distance from tip of bill to loral feather- ing gi'eater than graduation of tail. k^. Distance fi'om posterior border of nostril to angle of mouth much less than half the distance from anterior border of nostril to tip of upper mandible. V. Width of bill at base equal to one-half the length of cul- men ; speculum plain white. Camptolaimus. (Page 107.) l^. Width of bill at base much less than one-half the length of the culmen ; speculum dark- colored (steel-blue or violet in male), bordered before and behind by a white bar. Eniconetta. (Page 107.) k^. Distance from posterior border of nostril to angle of mouth equal to or greater than distance from anterior end of nostril to tit) of upper mandible. Oidemia. (Page 110.) Feathering of forehead or lores reaching anteri- orly to or beyond posterior end of nostril. i}. Feathering of forehead continuous with that ANATIDJE. 87 of lores, and advancing quite to the nostril Arctonetta. (Page 108.) ?'*. Feathering of forehead separated from that of lores by the interposition of a more or less extensive naked angle, or prolonga- tion of naked skin of the bill. Somateria. (Page 108.) /'. Tail more than half as long as wing, much graduated, the feathers with narrow webs and very stiff shafts, their bases scarcely hidden by the short coverts. g^. Nail of bill very small, hardly visible from above, and bent abruptly backward beneath the tip of the upper mandible; outer toe longer than middle. Erismatura. (Page 113.) g^. Nail of bill normal (i.e. large, almost Avholly visible from above, and not bent abruptly backward at tip) ; outer toe shorter than middle. Nomonyx. (Page 114.) e'. Lores wholly or partially naked ; wing more than 12.00. Cairina.^ (Page 100.) d}. Lower portion of tarsus in front without transverse scutellse. Dendrocygna. (Page 118.) Tarsus longer than middle toe, without claw. (Subfamily AnserincB.) c*. Serrations on cutting-edge of upper mandible visible from outside for greater portion of the tomium, the latter decidedly sinuated, or concave. d}. Bill very stout, its depth through base equal to much more than half the length of the culmen ; color of adults white, with blackish primaries, or else with head and part of neck white, the wing-coverts plain bluish gray Chen. (Page 114.) cP. Bill weaker and more depressed, its depth through base less than half the length of the culmen ; color of adults never white, or with white head, or bluish gray wing-coverts. Anser. (Page 115.) c'. Serrations on edge of upper mandible visible onl}^ near angle of mouth, the tomium very slightly or not at all sinuated. S'. v-nigra. Fe- male and young hardly different in plumage from other species, but very readily distinguishable by different outline of feathering at base of upper mandible, as pointed out above. AVing 10.50-11.25, bill to end of basal lobe 1.20-1.30 in male, about 2.00 in female, tarsus 1.80-1.86. Eggs 2.ri1 X 1.83. Hab. Northern portions of northern hemisphere ; south, in winter, to New Jersey and the Great Lakes. 162. S. spectabilis (Linn.). King Eider. Genus OIDEMIA Fleming. (Page 86, pi. XXVIL, figs. 1-4.) Species. Common Characters. — Adult males uniform black, with or without white speculum, and with or without white patches on head; bill brightly colored in life with tints of yellow, orange, or red, but partly black. Adult females plain brown- ish, lighter and more grayish beneath, the white head-markings of the male (if any) indistinctly indicated. a^. Length of commissure much less than inner toe, without claw ; adult males entirely uniform black ; bill of adult male much swollen on top at base ; distance from anterior end of nostril to nearest feathers of forehead greater than distance from same point to tip of bill. (Subgenus Oidemia.) OIDEMIA. Ill h^. Xail of bill much flattened, scarcely hooked at tip. Adult male: Bill black with a 3'ellow or orange spot on culmen immediately in front of the basal knob. Adult female : Above sooty brown, beneath paler, inclining to light grayish brown on breast and belly ; bill wholly dusky, the basal half of the culmen level, or scarcely if at all elevated at base. Wino- 8.00-9.20, culmen 1.90, depth of upper mandible at base .98-1.00 in male .50 in female, tarsus 1.50-1.60. Kab. JSTorthern portions of eastern hemi- sphere. O. nigra (Linn.). European Scoter.^ b^. Nail of bill distinctly arched, and decidedly hooked at tip. Adult male : Basal half of upper mandible, including whole of knob, j'ellow or orange ; rest, including entire edge, black. Adult female : Above dusky grayish brown, the feathers of dorsal region with paler tips ; lower parts paler grayish brown, the lighter tips broader, though want- ing on the posterior portions ; lateral and undei--parts of head nearly uniform light grayish brown, in decided contrast with dark brown of pileum and nape ; bill uniform blackish. Yowig : Much like adult female, but lighter beneath, where indistinctly barred (mostly beneath the surface) with grayish brown. Length 17.00-21.50, wing 8.75-9.50, culmen 1.65-1.80, depth of upper mandible at base .85-.95 in male, .70 in female, tarsus 1.65-2.00. Eggs 2.55 X 1-80, pale dull buff or pale brownish buff. Sab. North America, breeding northward ; in winter, south to New Jersey, the Great Lakes, and California. 163. O. americana Sw. & Eich. American Scoter. Lenffth of commissure much more than length of inner toe without claw. b^. Feathering of head advancing much farther forward on lores than on fore- head ; sides of upper mandible at lower portion of base sunken ; wing with a white speculum. (Subgenus Melanitta Boie.) &. Loral feathers separated from nostril by a space neai-ly or quite equal to length of nostril ; male with lower pai't of swollen basal portion of upper mandible, on sides, unfeathered ; sides of bill orange-yellow in life ; basal portion of culmen elevated but not forming an abrupt knob ; plumage uniform black, or brownish black, relieved by a white wing-speculum and a white patch be- neath and behind eye. Adult feynale : Sooty grayish, or dusky grayish brown, darker above ; wing with a white speculum, but no white on head ; bill wholly dusky. Downy young : " Crown, nape, hind-neck, and sides of the head to a line from the base of the lower mandible deep brown ; a small white spot below the eye ; upper parts uniform dark brown with an olivaceous tinge; a small white patch of down on the wings ; under-parts white, the upper breast crossed by a dull brown band." (Dresser.) Length about 21.00, wing 10.65-11.40, culmen 1.40-1.70, def)th of upper mandible 1 Anas nigra LiNN., S; N. ed. 10, i. 1758, 123. Oidemia nigra Flem., Brit. Anim. 1828, 119. 112 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. at base 1.10-1.30, tarsus 1.80-2.10. Eggs 2.87 X 1-92, pale cream- color. Hab. Northern portions of eastern hemisphere ; accidental in Greenland 164. O. fusca (Linn.). Velvet Scoter. cK Loral feathering separated from nostrils bj' a space much narrower than length of nostril ; male with swollen lateral base of upper mandible entirely feathered, the sides of bill bright red or orange- red in life. d'^. Width of bill at widest part equal to or greater than distance from nostril to tip, the lateral outlines strongly convex ; knob with anterior outline sloping backward ; distance fi*om frontal feathering to where outline of knob begins to incline down- ward not more than .45 ; sides of bill, in life, orange-red ; plumage as in 0. fusca. Length 19.75-23.00, wing 10.65-11.40, culmen 1.40-1.70, depth of upper mandible at base 1.10-1.30, tarsus 1.80-2.10. Eggs 2.68 X 1-83, pale dull buff, varying to cream-color. JTab. N'orthern North America ; south, in winter, to Chesapeake Bay, the Great Lakes, and southern California. 165. O. deglandi Bonap. White-winged Scoter. cP. Width of bill at widest part less than distance from nostril to tip, the lateral outlines nearly parallel ; knob of male with anterior outline decidedly concave, the top forming a more or less con- spicuous projection ; distance from frontal feathers along top of knob to antei'ior .extremit}^ not less than .55 ; sides of bill bright red in life; plumage as in 0. fusca and 0. deglandi, but black usually much more intense. Hab. Northeastern Asia (Kamtschatka to Japan). O. stejnegeri Kidgw. Kamtschatkan Scoter.^ b'\ Feathering of head advancing much farther forward on forehead than on lores ; sides of bill at base with swollen portion entirely naked ; wing without white speculum. (Subgenus Pelionetta Kaup.) Adidt male : Uniform deep black, the lower parts more sooty ; a patch on forehead and another on hind-neck, pure white (one or the other of them occasionally absent) ; bill reddish in life, the swollen base, on each side, marked with a conspicuous large spot of jet-black ; length about 20.00-22.00, wing 9.25-9.75, culmen 1.30-1.60, tarsus 1.55-1.85. Adult female : Top of head and hind-neck dusky; rest of head grayish brown, usually with an indistinct whitish patch near corner of mouth ; upper parts dusk}^, the feathers sometimes with paler tips; lower parts grayish brown, paler on belly, the feathers of breast and sides tipped with dull whitish ; bill wholly dusky, scarcely swollen at base; length about 18.00-19.00. Young : Similar to adult female, but side of head with two quite distinct whitish patches, one near base of bill, the other over ears ; color of 1 New species. (=0. deglandii Stejn., Orn. Expl. Kamtsch. 1885, 174.) ERISMATURA. 113 upper parts more uniform, and plumage everywhere of softer texture. Eggs 2.47 X 1-70, pale buff, or pale creamy buff. Hab. North America in general, breeding far northward; south, in winter, to Jamaica, the Carolinas, Ohio Eiver, and Lower California ; acci- dental in Europe 166. O. perspicillata (Linn.). Surf Scoter. Genus ERISMATURA Bonaparte. (Page 87, pi. XXVI., fig. 4.) Species. Common Characters (of American species). — Adult males with upper paints uniform rich reddish chestnut ; head partly or entirely black, the bill fine light blue in life. Females and young, dull grayish brown above, finely mottled (some- times indistinctly barred) with paler; sides of head dull whitish, crossed by a longitudinal dusky bar or band. a\. Width of bill near end .90-.95. Adult male : Above, including neck, bright reddish chestnut ; top of head black ; entire side of head, below eyes, white ; lower parts, from chest back, whitish (the feathers dark brownish gray immediately beneath the sur- face, and this sometimes completely exposed by wearing away of the light-colored tips), sometimes overlaid by a bright rusty wash or stain. Adult female and young male : Above grayish brown, finely mottled and sometimes indistinctly barred with grayish buff; top of head darker; rest of head grayish white, crossed longitudinally by a stripe of mottled brownish, from corner of mouth to ear-coverts ; neck pale brownish gray, lower parts dull whitish (on surface). Downy young : Above dark smoky brown, darker on head ; a whitish spot on each side of back ; be- low eye, from bill to occiput, a stripe of brownish white, and beneath this a narrower one of dusky brown, confluent with the brown of the nape ; beneath, grayish white, shading into sooty brown on chest. Length about 13.50-16.00, wing 5.75-6.00, culmen about 1.50-1.60. Eggs 2A2 X 1-80, oval or ovoid, white or pale buffy, with finely but dis- tinctly granulated surface. Kab. Tempei-ate North America, south to New Granada and West Indies. 167. E. rubida (Wils.). Ruddy Duck. a^ Width of bill near end only .70-85. Adult male : Head and neck (except lower half of latter in front) uniform black ; rest of plumage essentially as in corresponding stage of E. rubida. Adult female : Similar to same sex of E. rubida, but darker and very dis- tinctl}^ barred on the sides and upper parts with light fulvous or buffy. Sab. Southern South America. E. ferruginea Etton. Ferruginous Duck.* 1 Eriamatura ferruginea Eyton, Mon. Anat. 1838j 170. 15 114 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. Genus NOMONYX Eidgway. (Page 87, pi. XXVI., fig. 2.) Species. Adult male : Fore-part and top of head, black ; rest of head, with neck, dark rusty cinnamon ; back and sides rusty, striped with black ; belly, etc., yellowish rusty, the feathers occasionally showing dusky centres ; wings brown, with a con- spicuous white speculum on greater coverts. Immature (?) inale : Top of head, two stripes on side of head, and general color of upper parts, dull black ; spaces between head-stripes, also cheeks and chin, dull white; neck and chest rusty chestnut, sometimes with a purplish tinge ; rest of lower parts dull ochraceous, the feathers with concealed dusky central spots ; middle and greater wing-coverts, basal portion of secondaries, and whole of axillars, white ; back and scapulars varied with bars and borders of rusty. Adult female : Similar to the preceding, but black less intense and more broken, the rusty paler (sometimes replaced by ochraceous) and spotted with black; belly dull ochraceous white, and wing-speculum smaller. Length about 12.00-14.50, wing about 5.50-5.75, tail 3.50-4.50, culmen 1.30-1.37. Hah. Tropical America in general, including the West Indies ; accidental in the eastern United States (Lake Champlain, New York, and Lake Koshkonong, Wisconsin). 125. N. dominicus (Linn.). Masked Duck. Genus CHEN Boie. (Page 87, pi. XXYIII., figs. 1, 2.) Species. Common Characters. — Adult with whole head and at least part of the neck white ^' (in two of the three species the jDlumage entirely white, except quills, which are blackish) ; the bill dull purplish red (in life), with whitish nail, and feet pur- plish red. Young with head and neck grayish, the rest of the plumage either chiefly grayish bi"Own or else striped with grayish on a whitish ground ; bill and feet dusky. o}. Bill very robust, the commissure widely gaping, and enclosing a broad blackish space, extending from the corner of the mouth nearly to the tip of the bill ; feathering at base of upper mandible, along each side, having a very convex outline ; culmen 1.95 or more. 6\ Plumage chiefly grayish brown, the rump (usually) and wing-coverts bluish gray. Adult : Head and part of neck, and sometimes rump and part of lower surface, white ; greater wing-coverts and secondaries (including tertials) edged with white. Young : Similar to adult, but head and neck uniform deep grayish brown, only the chin being white. Length 26.50-30.00, wing 15.00-17.00, culmen 2.10-2.30, tarsus 3.00- 1 In some specimens the head more or less stained with bright rusty, or orange-rufous, from contact with ferruginous matter. ANSER. 115 3.30, middle toe 2.15-2.50. Mab. Interior of North America, east of Eocky Mountains, breeding on the eastern shores of Hudson's Bay; migrating south, in winter, through Mississippi Valley to the Gulf coast ; occasional on Atlantic coast. — . C. caerulescens (Linn.). Blue Goose.^ ¥. Plumage of adult entirely white, except primaries and their coverts ; young grayish white, the upper parts striped with dusky grayish. Adult : Uniform pure white, the head often stained with rusty ; pri maries black, becoming grayish basally, their coverts, and the alulae, ash-gray. Young : Head, neck, and upper parts pale grayish, the feathers of the latter with whitish edges and (especially wing- coverts and tertials) striped medially with darker; rump, upper tail-coverts, tail, and lower parts plain white, c^ Length about 23.00-28.00, wing 14.50-17.00 (16.36), culmen 1.95- 2.30 (2.15), tarsus 2.80-3.25 (3.01), middle toe 2.00-2.50 (2.34). Eggs 3.13 X 2.12. Hah. Western North America, breeding in Alaska ; migrating south, in winter, to southern California and Mississippi Valley ; northeastern Asia. 169. C. hyperborea (Pall.). Lesser Snow Goose. c\ Length about 30.00-38.00, wing 17.35-17.50 (17.42), culmen 2.55- 2.70 (2.63), tarsus 3.15-3.50 (3.28), middle toe 2.60-2.80 (2.70). Hab. Eastern North America ; breeding grounds unknown, but probably arctic regions east of Mackenzie Eiver ; United States (Mississippi Valley to Atlantic coast) only during migrations and in winter. 169a. C. hyperborea nivalis (Forst.). Greater Snow Goose. a}. Bill comparatively weak, the commissure not gaping, and not enclosing a dis- tinct blackish space ; feathering at base of upper mandible, along each side, forming a nearly straight, oblique line ; culmen 1.70 or less. Adult with basal portion of upper mandible often wrinkled and warty; plumage, at all ages, as in C. hyperborea., but young rather lighter in color, with the darker stripes of upper parts less strongly contrasted; length 20.00-26.00, wing 13.75-15.50, culmen 1.50-1.70, tarsus 2.30-3.00, middle toe 1.80-2.05. Hab. Interior of Arctic America in summer; mi- grating south, in winter, to southern California, and eastward to Mon- tana 170. C. rossii (Baird). Ross's Snow Goose. Genus ANSER Brisson. (Page 87, pi. XXVIIL, fig. 3.) Species. Common Characters. — Plumage brownish, the feathers of back, etc., with lighter tips ; lower parts pale brownish gray or grayish white, becoming pure white on under tail-coverts ; upper tail-coverts white ; tail dusky, tipped with white. 1 References given on page 351 (" Hypothetical List") of the A. 0. U. Check List. It is, however, beyond question a good species. IIQ • NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. a^. Culmen not more than 2.30, tarsus less than 3.00. Adult : Fore part of head, all round, to about half way across lores and forehead, white ; rest of head grayish brown (darkest next the white), as are also the neck and upper parts, the latter varied by distinct gray- ish tips to the feathers ; lower parts grayish white, blotched or irregu- larly spotted with black ; anal region, crissum, and tail-coverts white ; greater wing-coverts ash-gray tipped with white ; secondaries blackish edged with white ; bill light colored (yellowish or orange in life), with white nail ; feet light-colored (orange or reddish in life). Young : Similar to adult, but fore-part of head dusky instead of white, lower parts without black markings, and nail of bill dusky. b\ Length about 28.00, wing 14.75-16.00, culmen 1.60-1.75, depth of upper mandible at base about .90, width .85-1.05, tarsus 2.25-2.80. J^ggs 3.06 X 2.03. Hab. Northern portions of eastern hemisphere ; south- eastern Greenland?. 171. A. albifrons (Gmel.). White-fronted Goose. h\ Length 27.00-30.00, wing 14.25-17.50, culmen 1.80-2.35, depth of upper mandible at base .90-1.20, width .85-1.05, tarsus 2.60-3.20. Hggs 3.16X2.07. Hab. North America, breeding far northward; in winter, south to Mexico and Cuba 171«. A. albifrons gambeli (Hartl.). American White-fronted Goose. a^. Culmen more than 2.30, tarsus more than 3.00. Adult : Head and neck grayish brown ; upper parts brownish gray, the feathers tipped with grayish white ; rump blackish brown, lower parts brownish gray, becoming white posteriorly, the upper tail-coverts and sides of rump also white ; bill chiefly light-colored (orange in life ?), the nail, culmen, and basal half of lower mandible black ; feet light-colored (orange-yellowish in life) ; length about 30.00-32.00, wing 18.50, or less, culmen 2.35, tarsus 3.10. Hab. Northern portions of eastern hemi- sphere ; said to have occurred in Canada and at Hudson's Bay (fide Nuttall). a. segetum (Gmel.). Bean Goose. ^ Genus BR ANT A Scopoli. (Page 87, pi. XXYIII., fig. 4.) Species. Common Characters. — Bill and feet entirely deep black, at all ages ; head and neck black, one or the other, or both, relieved by white patches ; tail-coverts white ; tail and quills uniform black ; upper parts brownish, the feathers with lighter tips; lower parts (from thighs forward) grayish white (in B. leucopsis only), grayish, brownish, or dusky. a\ Head partly white. &^ Head black, with a somewhat triangular whitish patch on each cheek, usually confluent on throat, but sometimes separated by a black throat- stripe ; chest grayish or brownish, like breast and belly. 1 Anas segetum Gmel., S. N. i. 1788, 512. Anser segetum Meter, Taschb. ii. 1810, 554. 117 c\ Lower parts light brownish gray, fading gradually into white on anal region; white cheek-patches usually confluent on throat; white collar round lower neck usually wanting, rarely distinct. d\ Larger (wing usually more than 16.00, culmen usually more than 1.75) ; tail-feathers usually 18-20 ; length about 35 00-43 00 wing 15.60-21.00, culmen 1.55-2.70, tarsus 2.45-3 70 Eaqs 3.55 X 2.27. Hah. Temperate ^orth America, breeding chiefly within the United States. '^ ^, ^, ,, ^^2- ^- canadensis (Linn.). Canada Goose. a . bmaller (wing usually less than 16.00, culmen usually less than 1.75) ; length about 25.00-34.00, wing 14.75-17.75 culmen 1 '^O- 1.90, tarsus 2.25-3.20. Eggs 3.18 X 2.10. Hab. Arctic and sub- arctic America; south, in winter, through United States, chiefly west of Alleghanies; northeastern Asia (Japan to eastern ^^^®^^^) 172a. B. canadensis hutchinsii (Sw. & Eich.). 2 -r Hutchins's Goose. c . Lower parts deep grayish brown or brownish gray (often not con- spicuously paler than upper parts), abruptly defined against white of anal region ; white cheek-patches usually separated by a black throat-stripe, or black mottling on throat; white collar round lower neck usually very distinct. d\ Larger (wing more than 16.00, culmen more than 1.25) ; tail- feathers usually 18-20 ; length about 35.00 ; wing 16.25-^18.00 culmen 1.40-1.65, tarsus 3.05-3.25. Hah. Northwest coast of North America, north to Sitka ; south, in winter, to Cali- ^*^™^^ 1726- B. canadensis occidentalis (Baird). White-cheeked Goose. d\ Smaller (wing less than 16.00, culmen less than 1.25) ; tail-feathers usually 14-16; length about 23.00-25.00, wing 13.60-14.50, culmen 0.95-1.15, tarsus 2.40-2.75. Eggs 3.02 X 2.00. Hah. Pacific coast of North America, breeding chiefly about the shores of Norton Sound and the lower Yukon ; south, in winter, to California, and, more rarely, to upper Mississippi Valley (Wis- consin, etc.). 173c. B. canadensis minima Eidgw. Cackling Goose. h\ Head mostly white, the lores, occiput, neck, and chest (sometimes back also) black. Above bluish gray, the feathers marked with a broad sub- terminal bar of black and a narrow terminal bar of white ; lower parts grayish white, the sides and flanks brownish gray, the feathers with whitish tips; length 23.50-28.00, wing 14.90-16.90, culmen 1.10-1.45, tarsus 2.50-3.00. Eggs 3.71 X 2.38. Hah. Northern Europe ; occasional on Atlantic coast of North America (Hudson's Bay to North Carolina). 175. B. leucopsis (Bechst.). Barnacle Goose. Head entirely black. h^. Middle of neck with a patch of white streaks on each side ; upper parts 118 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. brownish gray, the feathers narrowly tipped with grayish white ; lower parts pale grayish, in conspicuous and abrupt contrast with black of chest, and gradually fading into the white of anal region and crissum. Young : Similar to adult, but wing-coverts and secondaries broadly tipped with white, forming conspicuous bars ; white on sides of neck reduced to small specks ; lower parts paler and more uniform. Length 23.50-30.50, wing 12.30-13.60, culmen 1.20-1.50, tarsus 2.10-2.40. Eggs 2.92 X 2.02. Hah. Sea-coasts of Europe and eastern North America, breeding only within the Arctic circle ; casual or occasional in upper Mississippi Valley during winter. 173. B. bernicla (Linn.). Brant. &^ Middle of neck encircled by a broad white collar, interrupted only behind ; upper parts nearly uniform dark sooty brown ; lower parts dark sooty slate, not distinctly, if at all, contrasted with black of chest, but abruptly defined against white of anal region and crissum. Young : Similar to adult, but collar indistinct or obsolete, the larger wing- coverts and secondaries broadly tipped with white, and feathers of sides and flanks uniform brownish gray, without white tips. Length 22.00-29.00, wing 12.70-13.50, culmen 1.20-1.35, tarsus 2.20-2.50. Eggs 2.87 X 1-87. Hab. Western Arctic America, migrating south, in winter, along Pacific coast to Lower California, and very rarely straggling to Atlantic coast (Long Island). 174. B. nigricans (Lawr.). Black Brant. Genus PHILACTE Bannister. (Page 88, pi. XXVIIL, fig. 4.) Species. Adult : Head and hind-neck white, the former frequently stained with orange- rufous ; throat and neck (except behind) plain dusky ; basal half of tail slate-color, tei'minal half white ; rest of plumage bluish gray, handsomely barred with black and white, these markings very sharply contrasted on upper parts, but much less distinct on lower, which ai-e more or less tinged with fulvous. Young : Similar to adult, but with head and whole neck dusk}^, the former speckled, especially on top, with white; markings in general less distinct than in adult. Length about 26.00, wing 14.30-15.75, culmen 1.40-1.65, tarsus 2.60-2.85, middle toe 2.40-2.50. Eggs 3.16 X 2.12. ITab. Coast of Alaska, north of the peninsula, chiefly about the shores of Norton Sound and valley of the lower Yukon. 176. P. canagica (Sevast.). Emperor Goose. Genus DENDROCYGNA Swainson. (Page 87, pi. XXV., fig. 4.) Species. a^. Plumage much spotted or speckled, without large areas of uniform color. Above dull brown, the feathers paler at tips ; neck streaked with pale DENDROCYGNA. 119 fulvous and dusky ; lower parts dull whitish, irregularly spotted with black. Hah. West Indies (Jamaica and St. Groix). D. arborea Linn. Tree-duck.* a^. Plumage chiefly uniform, in distinctly defined areas of different colors. b^. Belly plain light tawny-cinnamon, or fulvous, the flanks striped with paler. Adult : Back and scapular region black, the feathers tipped with ful- vous or cinnamon; upper tail-coverts white ; head and neck plain tawny, like lower parts, the top of head and hind-neck darker; bill black ; length about 20.00-21.00, wing 8.10-8.90, culmen 1.65- 1.95, tarsus 2.10-2.40, middle toe 2.30-2.80. Hab. Tropical and subtropical North America, north to California, Nevada, and Louisi- ana ; also, southern Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentine Eepublic. 178. D. fulva (Gmel.). Fulvous Tree-duck. 6*. Belly uniform black. &. Under tail-coverts white, spotted with black ; bill light-colored (red in life) ; above reddish brown, the rump and upper tail-coverts black. d}. Adult : Lower part of neck, all round, and chest, reddish brown, or cinnamon, like the back. Young : Similar, but pattern of color- ation much less distinct, and colors duller ; the reddish brown replaced by dingy grayish, tinged with rusty, the belly, flanks, etc., grayish white, tinged with dusky; bill and feet dusky. Downy young : Above blackish brown, varied by large, sharply defined areas of sulphury buff; lower parts pale buff-yellow, the belly whitish. Length 19.75-24.00, wing 9.20-9.70, cul- men 1.90-2.15, tarsus 2.25-2.60, middle toe 2.25-2.70. Eggs 2.12 X 1.56, white, sometimes tinged with pale olive greenish or buffy. Hah. Middle America, including Eio Grande Yalley in Texas. 177. D. autumnalis (Linn.). Black-bellied Tree-duck. d}. Adult : Lower part of neck, all round, including chest, brownish gray, abruptly contrasted with the chestnut-brown of the back. Hab. Northern South America. D. discolor Scl. & Salt. Colombian Tree-duck.'^ c^. Under tail-coverts uniform black. Adult : Chest and lower part of neck, all round, rich chestnut ; sides yellowish white, barred with blackish ; fore part of head white ; rest of head, and upper part of neck, black, with a white patch on fore-neck. Hah. Eastern South America and western Africa. D. viduata (Linn.). Brazilian Tree-duck.s * Anas arborea Linn., S. N. ed. 12, i. IToO, 207. Dendrocyqna arborea Eyt., Mon. Anat. 1838, 110. 2 Dendrocygna discolor ScL.