1898.] NATURAL SCIENCES OP PHILADELPHIA. 137 



PHALACROCORACIDJE. 



123a. Phalacrocorax. Cormorants. 



Probaby not more than two dozen Cormorants were seen during 

 our entire voyage. No specimens were shot. Three small individ- 

 uals of this genus were seen on a small island in the Aunamak Pass, 

 which is our first northern record for " Shags." These were a 

 small species (possibly P. p. robustus). Seven Cormorants of a 

 larger species (possibly P. urile) were observed off Aunamak 

 Island. A few were also seen in the vicinity of Point Hope. All 

 the Cormorants met with seemed extremely wild, keeping well out 

 of range of a shot gun. This is rather surprising when one consid- 

 ers how tame and fearless the Shags are near Monterey, California,,, 

 where they are being shot at constantly. 



ANATIDJE. 



154. Clangula hyemalis. Old-squaw. 



Along the Arctic coast from Point Barrow eastward to the Mac- 

 kenzie River, the scarcity of bird-life as compared with that of 

 Bering Sea is quite striking. In fact, were we to disregard Old- 

 squaws, Glaucous Gulls, and an occasional straggling band of Eider 

 Ducks, our records for this part of the voyage would be chiefly a 

 blank. With the exception of Eider Ducks, Old-squaws were the 

 most abundant water fowl met with in the Arctic. At Point Bar- 

 row, September 12th, a great migration of Old-squaws was going 

 on, thousands were passing to the south ; many were shot. Their 

 meat, however, is not considered good eating, except by the natives. 

 Hab., northern portions of northern hemisphere, south in winter 

 nearly across the United States. 



158. Arctonetta fischeri. Spectacled Eider. 



A young Spectacled Eider was taken about fifty miles off Icy 

 Cape, Alaska, August 2d. This was the only one of the species 

 seen. 



A few skins from the heads of the adult ducks were seen in the 

 possession of the natives at Point Barrow, where they are highly 

 prized as articles of ornamentation. The Spectacled Eider is re- 

 ported as being rarely seen on the American side, although abundant 

 on the Siberian coast. Hab., coast of Alaska from Northern Sound- 

 to Point Barrow. 



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