History of British animals - University of Guam Marine Laboratory

134 BIRDS. PALMIPIDES. Ukia.dence of the lied Throated individual being a female. They have likewisebeen shot in company in the spring. (Mont. Orn. Diet. Suppt. and Edin.Phil. Journ. vol. viii. 299.) These circumstances seem calculated to excitemore inquiry respecting the specific characters of the species of the genus.Gen. XCV. URIA. Guillemot. — Bill straight, compressed,pointed, margins incurved ;a distinct terminal notch.the upper mandible, with214. U. Troile. Foolish Guillemot. — Head, neck, andthroat, dull blackish-brown ; above, brownish-black ; breast andbelly white.Law, Martin's St Kilda, 59.—Lomwia Insula Farrse, Will. Orn. 244.Sibb. Scot. 20 Col. Troile, Linn. i.Syst. 220. Perm. Brit. Zool. ii.519.— Una Tr. Temm. Orn. ii. 921— E, Guilem, Guillemot, Sea Hen,Skout, Kuldaw, Murse, Willoch, Tinkershere— S, Marrot, Skutock ;W, Gwilym ; N. Lungy Common on all the coasts.Length 18, breadth 28 inches ;weight 24 ounces. Bill black ; from thenostrils to the tip an inch and a half; gape 3 inches ;inside orange. Tonguenearly the length of the bill, pointed. Vermiform appendages, short, pointed.Legs, behind, and soles, black ; before and above, yellowish-brown- Primariespale towards the base ; the secondaries tipped with white. Tail shortand rounded, of 12 feathers. In winter the black on the throat and fore-neckis replaced by white, and the plumage above has a greyish tinge. Femaleless.— Nest on the ledge of a rock on the shore. Egg 1, greenish, blotchedwith duskv.— Young with the bill short; sides and front of the neck whitishlike the old birds in their winter garb. In this state it is the Lesser Guillemotof British writers.It is probable that the Uria Brunnichii (Temm. Orn. ii. 924.), may occurduring the winter season, especially among the northern islands. The dilatedbroad base of the bill, and the wdiite of the belly extending to an arrowshapedpoint on the fore-neck, may serve to distinguish The it. throat, however,probably becomes white in winter.Gen. XCVI. CEFHUS. Scraber.—-Bill longer than thehead ; upper mandible destitute of the terminal notch.215. C. Gryllc.Common Scraber.— Bill straight, narrow ;wing-covers forming a large white spot.Scraber, MartirCs St Kilda, 58 Columba Groenlandica, Will. Orn, 245.Sibb. Scot. 20 Col. Grylle, Linn. Syst.i. 220. Penn. Brit. Zool. ii.521 Uria Gr. Temm. Orn. ii. 925— ~-E, Greenland Dove, Sea Turtle ;S, Scraber, Toyst, Tystie—Common.Length 14, breadth 22 inches; weight 14 ounces. Bill black, an inch anda half long. Mouth and legs orange. Irides hazel. Plumage black, exceptthe large wing spot and tips of the secondaries, which are white. Tail of 12feathers. In winter the plumage becomes mottled with white. In Greenlandit becomes wholly white, as was pointed out to me by Sir Charles Giesecke,in the collection of the Dublin Society, in a specimen which he brought fromthat country. In this state, it is the Spotted Guillemot of Pennant. Femalesimilar.—Nest on ledges of rocks; chiefly in caves. Egg 1, white, with black