Uria alle, Ch. Bonaparte, Synopsis of Birds of United States, p. 425.
Little Guillemot, Uria alle, Richards. and Swains. Faun. Bor.-Amer. vol. ii. p. 479.
Little Auk, or Sea Dove, Nuttall, Manual, vol. ii. p. 531.
Adult Male in summer. Plate CCCXXXIX.
Bill shorter than the head, stout, straightish, subpentagonal at the base, compressed towards the end. Upper mandible with the dorsal line convexo-declinate, the ridge convex, the sides sloping, the edges sharp and overlapping, the tip rather obtuse. Nasal depression short and broad; nostrils basal, oblong, with a horny operculum. Lower mandible with the angle long and wide, the dorsal outline very short, ascending, and straight, the sides convex, toward the end ascending and flattened, the edges thin and inclinate, the tip acute, with a sinus behind.
Body full and compact; neck short and thick; head large, ovate. Feet short, rather stout; tibia bare for two-twelfths of an inch; tarsus very short, compressed, covered anteriorly with oblique scutella, behind with angular scales; hind toe wanting; anterior toes connected by reticulated webs, the inner much shorter than the outer, which is almost as long as the middle; the scutella numerous. Claws rather small, moderately arched, compressed, rather acute, that of the middle toe having its inner edge considerably expanded.
Plumage dense, blended, glossy. Wings of moderate length, narrow, pointed; primaries pointed, the first longest, the rest rapidly graduated; secondaries rounded. Tail very short, slightly rounded, of twelve feathers.
Bill black. Iris dark hazel. Feet pale flesh-coloured; webs dusky; claws black. Inside of mouth light yellow. The head, upper part of neck, and all the upper surface, glossy bluish-black. A small spot on the upper eyelid, another on the lower, several longitudinal streaks on the scapulars, and a bar along the tips of the secondary quills, white. The lower parts white; the feathers on the sides under the wings have the outer webs white, the inner dusky; lower wing-coverts blackish-grey.
Length to end of tail 7 1/8 inches, to end of claws 7 7/8, to end of wings 6 7/8, to carpal joint 2 7/8; extent of wings 14 1/4; wing from flexure 4 7/8; bill along the ridge 4 1/2/8, along the edge of lower mandible 1; tarsus 3/4; middle toe 1, its claw 1/4; outer toe 1, claw 1 1/2/8; inner toe 5/8, its claw 1 1/2/8. Weight 8 1/2 oz.
Adult Female, in winter. Plate CCCXXXIX. Fig. 2.