Page:The birds of America, volume 7.djvu/326

234 tibia bare for a short space; tarsus very short, little compressed, anteriorly with a series of small scutella; toes three, connected by entire webs, the outer and middle toes nearly equal. Claws strong, of moderate length, arched, acute, that of the inner toe much curved. Plumage close, blended, soft. Wings short, narrow, curved, acute; the first quill longest; seconda- ries short and rounded. Tail very short, slightly rounded, of sixteen feathers.

The specimen from which I drew the figure of this singular looking bird, was procured at the mouth of the Kennebec river, in Maine. It was shot by a fisherman gunner, while standing on some floating ice, in the winter of 1831-32. No other individual was seen. I could not obtain any informa- tion respecting its habits; but as the bird was in tolerable order, I hope that my figures of it will prove not unacceptable. It was a male, and appeared to be adult. My friend, the Prince of Musignano, mentions this species as being an inhabitant of the seas between North America and Kamtschatka, being, he adds, often found on the western coasts of the United States in winter.

Alca cirrhata, Lath. Ind. Orn., vol. ii. p. 791.

Mormon cirrhatus, Bonap. Syn., p. 429.

Tofted Mormon or Puffin, Nutt. Man., vol. ii. p. 539.

Tufted Puffin, Mormon cirrhatus, Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. iii. p. 364.

Male, 15, 22 J.

Extremely rare and accidental on the coast of the United States in winter. Common in the Arctic Seas, and on the north-west coast of America.

Adult Male.

Bill about the length of the head, nearly as high as long, extremely com- pressed, at the base as high as the head, furrowed on the sides. Upper man- dible with a horny rim along the basal margin, its dorsal line convex to the