142. Podilymbus podicipes. Dab-chick; Hell Diver.—Not rare; killed both spring and fall.
143. Fratercula arctica. Puffin; Sea Parrot.—Not common as far up as Point de Monts, but very abundant on the Mingan Islands, where they breed by thousands.
144. Alle nigricans. Dovekie.—Very abundant in flocks during some winters, arriving early in December and remaining till some time in February. During other winters it is rare or does not occur at all.
145. Uria grylle. Black Guillemot; Sea Pigeon.—A common resident, breeding not only here, but even on the islands off the mouth of the Saguenay, an hundred and fifty miles farther up the St. Lawrence.
146. Lomvia troile. Foolish Guillemot; Murre.—Like the Dovekie, the Murre is sometimes very abundant here in winter, while during other winters it does not occur at all. It is not wary, and does not even know enough to keep out of the way of dogs along the shore. It is well named the “Foolish” Guillemot, for both its habits and appearance deserve this appellation. In fact it looks like a perfect idiot, swimming over on one side as if one leg were broken, and staring vacantly at its enemies without attempting to escape. Its tout ensemble is stupid and gawky.
During the winter of 1875 they were so exceedingly abundant that Mr. Comeau shot about a thousand for their feathers, and his dog caught over fifty. They were all in very poor flesh, some being little more than animated skeletons, and a great many died and were washed ashore.
147. Utamania torda. Razor-billed Auk.—Not common here, but breeds on the Mingan Islands.
Recent Literature.
The Coues Check List and Ornithological Dictionary.[[117]]—The April number of the Bulletin contained (p. 111) a brief preliminary notice of this work, prepared from advance proof sheets. It was not published until June, and therefore too late for the appearance in our July number of a satisfactory review. As stated in the title the work is a second edition of the “Check List” which originally appeared in 1873 and was reissued in 1874 in connection with “Field Ornithology,” as a reflex of the classification and nomenclature of the “Key to North American Birds” (1872), though containing a few additional species. The original List gave 778 names; the present one gives 888, subtracting 10[[118]] and adding 120.
“In revising the List,” says the author, “for the main purpose of determining the ornithological status of every North American bird, the most scrupulous attention has been paid to the matter of nomenclature,—not only as a part of scientific classification, determining the technical relations of genera, species, and varieties to each other, but also as involved in writing and speaking the names of birds correctly. The more closely the matter was scrutinized, the more evidences of inconsistency, negligence, or ignorance were discovered in our habitual use of names. It was therefore determined to submit the current catalogue of North American birds to a rigid examination, with reference to the spelling, pronunciation, and derivation of every name—in short, to revise the list from a philological as well as an ornithological standpoint.”