The Bird Book Part 2

Range.--Pacific Coast, breeding from British Columbia northward and wintering southward to Lower California.

The Rhinoceros Auklet or Horned Auk has a much smaller bill than the Puffins; in the summer this is adorned at the base by a horn from which it takes its name. There are also slender plumes from above and below the eyes. Unlike the Puffins, these birds sit upon their whole tarsus.

They nest on islands of the North Pacific Coast from Vancouver northward. A single egg is laid in crevices among the rocks or in burrows in the ground. It is similar both in size and shape to that of the Puffins, but is often quite heavily blotched with brown. Size 2.70 1.80. Data.--Unak Is., Alaska, June 30, 1900. Egg laid in a fissure of the rocks; no nest. Collector, F. Weston.

[Ill.u.s.tration 025: White.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: right hand margin.]

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16. Ca.s.sIN AUKLET. _Ptychoramphus aleuticus._

Range.--Pacific Coast from Alaska to Lower California, breeding nearly throughout its range.

A plain appearing bird about 9 in. in length, with blackish upperparts relieved only by a white spot over the eye; breast and throat gray and belly white. This Auklet is fairly abundant on the Farallones, breeding on the lower portions of the island. The late Mr. C. Barlow says that it is found in deserted rabbit burrows and in all probability often excavates its own burrows. It also nests among the cliffs placing its eggs among the rocks in any crevice or tunnel which may offer a dark retreat during the day for they are nocturnal in their habits. The single egg which they lay is dull white in color, the inside of the sh.e.l.l being a pale green, which color can only be seen by holding the egg to the light. They are generally slightly nest stained. Size 1.80 1.30. Data.--Coronado Islands, Cal., March 23, 1897. Single egg laid on the bare ground at end of a burrow three and one-half feet long.

Collector, E. A. s.h.i.+ves.

[Ill.u.s.tration 026: Horned Puffin. Rhinoceros Auklet. Ca.s.sin Auklet.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: White.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: left hand margin.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: RHINOCEROS AUKLET. Color white, sometimes heavily blotched, as above, and again unspotted.]

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17. PAROQUET AUKLET.--_Phaleris psittacula._

Range.--The Alaskan Coast, casually farther south in winter.

This bird is about the same size as the preceding, and the plumage is similar, except that it has no white spot over the eye, and the breast is white. It also has a slender plume extending from back of the eye.

The bill is very peculiar, being quite deep and rounded and having an upward tendency. It is orange red in color. They breed very commonly on the islands of Bering Strait. Their eggs are laid in the crevices of the cliff, often several feet in and by a crooked path so that it is impossible to reach them. The single chalky white egg is laid in May.

Size 2.30 1.45. Data.--Rocky Islet in the Aleutians, June 22, 1890.

Single egg laid on bare rock in a deep crevice. Collector, Capt. S.

Wilson.

18. CRESTED AUKLET. _Aethia cristatella._

Range.--Alaska Coast, similar in form and plumage to the latter, except that the whole under parts are gray and it has a crest of recurved feathers. The nesting season begins in May, the birds nesting upon the same islands and in the same kinds of sites as the last species. The single egg is chalky white. Size 2.10 1.50. Data.--Unak Is., Alaska, July 1, 1900. Egg laid in a crevice among the rocks. Collector, F.

Weston.

19. WHISKERED AUKLET. _Aethia pygmaea._

Range.--The Alaska Coast.

Much smaller than the preceding; but 7.5 in. in length. Breast gray, belly white; a small tuft of recurved feathers on the forehead and slender white plumes from base of bill over the eye and from under the eye, backwards. The bill in summer is a bright vermillion color. On some of the islands of the Aleutian chain they breed quite abundantly. The nests are placed back in the crevices of the rocks, where the single white eggs are laid. Size 2.00 1.25.

[Ill.u.s.tration 027: Paroquet Auklet. Crested Auklet.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: White.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: right hand margin.]

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20. LEAST AUKLET. _Aethia pusilla._

Range.--North Pacific on the islands and coast of Alaska. This is the smallest of the Auklets; length 6.5 in. This species has no crest, but has the slender white plumes extending back from the eye. The entire under parts are white spa.r.s.ely spotted with dusky. This species is by far the most abundant of the water birds of the extreme Northwest, and thousands of them, accompanied by the two preceding species, nest on the rocky cliffs of the islands of Bering Sea. Their nesting habits are the same as those of the other Auklets, they placing their single white egg on the bare rocks, in crevices on the cliffs. Size 1.55 1.10.

Data.--Pribilof Is., Alaska, June 8, 1897. Single egg laid in crevice.

Thousands breeding on the island.

21. ANCIENT MURRELET. _Synthliboramphus antiquus._

Range.--Pacific Coast, breeding from the border of the United States, northward, and wintering south to southern California.

The Murrelets have no crests or plumes and the bills are more slender than the Auklets and are not highly colored. The ancient Murrelet or Black-throated Murrelet, as it is also called, has a gray back, white under parts and a black head and throat, with a broad white stripe back of the eye and another formed by the white on the breast extending up on the side of the neck. They breed abundantly on the islands in Bering Sea, laying one or two eggs at the end of burrows in the banks or on the ground, and in some localities in crevices on the cliffs. The eggs are a buffy white color and are faintly marked with light brown, some of these being in the shape of spots and others lengthened. Size 2.40 1.40.

Data.--Sanak Islands, July 1, 1894. Two eggs on the ground under a tuft of gra.s.s and in a slight excavation lined with fine gra.s.s.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Least Auklet. Ancient Murrelet. Marbled Murrelet.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: White.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Buff.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: left hand margin.]

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23. MARBLED MURRELET. _Brachyramphus marmoratus._

Range.--North Pacific Coast, breeding from Vancouver Island. South in winter to southern California.

In the breeding plumage, this bird is brownish black above, barred with rusty and below is marbled with brownish gray and white. Its nesting habits and eggs are very similar to those of the Ancient Murrelet, they placing their single eggs in holes in the ground or crevices among the cliffs. Size 2.20 1.40. Data.--Chichagof Is., Alaska, June 18, 1898.

Single egg in crevice on face of cliff. Large colony breeding in company with Ancient Murrelets.

24. KITTLITZ MURRELET. _Brachyramphus brevirostris._

Range.--North Pacific Coast in the Aleutian Islands and north to Unalaska, breeding on isolated islands throughout its range. This species is very similar to the Marbled Murrelet, the chief difference being in the bill which is shorted. They have been found breeding on the same islands with the preceding species. Their single white egg is laid in crevices in the cliffs. Size 2.40 1.30. Data.--Sanak Is., Alaska, June 25, 1890. Nest in a hollow under a bunch of rank matted gra.s.s. Many ancient Burrelets breeding on the same Islands. Collector, Capt. Tilson.

25. XANTUS MURRELET. _Brachyramphus hypoleucus._

Range.--Resident along the coast of southern and Lower California.

This bird is blackish above and entirely white below, including the sides of the head below the eye. The whole of the under surface of the wing is also white. They breed on the coast islands from Santa Barbara southward. The single egg is laid at the end of a burrow or in crevices among the rocks. It is a pale buffy white in color and thickly, but finely dotted over the whole surface with purplish brown, and with some larger spots at the larger end. Size 2.05 1.40. Data.--Galapagos Islands, March 2, 1901. No nest. Single egg laid in a crevice in the rocks. Collector, Rollo H. Beck.

[Ill.u.s.tration 029: Buff.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: White.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Pale Blue.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: right hand margin.]