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BEACHTEAMPHUS TEMMINOKI I .
TEMMINC K ’ S AU K .
URIA UNIZUSUME. Temm. Fauna Jap. Ayes, p. 123.
BRACHYRAMPHUS TEMMINOKIJ. Brandt. Bull. Acad. St. Petersb., vol. II. (1837), p. 346.—Oassin. B. o f .N . Amer., p. 916.
Many of the members of this genus, as well as those belonging to closely allied ones, are inhabitants of the North Pacific Ocean, and of
the islands lying between our own coast and that o f Asia. The various species resemble each other greatly in their modes of life, and also in
the coloring of their plumage.' The present bird is not only a native o f America and Asia, but has also been found in Japan, from which country
specimens were brought by the naturalist attached to the expedition o f Commodore P erry. Mr. Cassin, in his article on this species, published
in his account o f the birds collected by that expedition, gives the following note furnished him by Mr. Heine: “ The officers engaged in the
survey of the harbor of Simoda had frequently observed numbers o f small birds swimming at some distance from the shore, but at the approach
of the boats, the birds invariably dived and disappeared. On one occasion, when returning from Rock Island, the boat in which I was came
suddenly upon a number of these little fellows, swimming and braving a rough sea in fiue style; calling all the time with a chirping voice. Two
specimens were secured, when all the others quickly disappeared. This bird is common in the harbor of Simoda.”
Temminck's Auk is distinguished from other members of the genus, by having, when adult, a crest of quite long feathers rising from the
fore part of the head near the base of the biJL
Brandt has described three other species of this genus, coming respectively from the Aleutian Islands, Unalaschka, and Kamtschatka, but no
specimen -of these has ever reached this country. The B. Temminekii seems to be fond o f frequenting rocky cliffs uear the sea, often congregating
in considerable numbers, but the greater portion of its time is passed upon the water.
In living a name to this species I have followed Brandt, Cassin, et al., for, although Temminck's appellation has precedence by the law of
priority, yet it is so barbarous as to-make it undesirable.
The specimens of this bird which have been received at the Smithsonian Institution, captured within our limits, all came from Washington
Territory.
Head brownish black. Crest black. Wide stripe over each eye, uniting at the occiput, white. Entire upper parts light cinereous. Wings
and tail brownish black. Under parts white. Bill light horn color. Feet flesh color. Young, without crest; throat brown; flanks ashy.
The figures are life-size.