174 cook's VOYAGE TO OCT. 



larly the alca monochroa of Steller, before mentioned ; 

 and a black and white duck, which I conceive to be 

 different from the stone-duck described by Krasheni- 

 nikoff.* All the other birds seen by us are mentioned 

 by this author, except some that we met with near 

 the ice ; and most, if not all of these, are described 

 by Martin in his voyage to Greenland. It is a little 

 extraordinary that penguins, which are common in 

 many parts of the world, should not be found in 

 this sea. Albatrosses too are so very scarce, that I 

 cannot help thinking that this is not their proper 

 climate. 



The few land-birds that we met with are the same 

 with those in Europe ; but there may be many others 

 which we had no opportunity of knowing. A very 

 beautiful bird was shot in the woods at Norton Sound, 

 which, I am told, is sometimes found in England, 

 and known by the name of chatterer. Our people 

 met with other small birds there, but in no great va- 

 riety and abundance ; such as the wood-pecker, the 

 bull-finch, the yellow-finch, and a small bird called 

 a tit-mouse. 



As our excursions and observations were confined 

 wholly to the sea-coast, it is not to be expected that 

 we could know much of the animals or vegetables of 

 the country. Except musquitoes, there are few 

 other insects, or reptiles, that I saw, but lizards. 

 There are no deer upon Oonalashka, nor upon any 

 other of the islands. Nor have they any domestic 

 animals, not even dogs.. Foxes and weasels were 

 the only quadrupeds we saw ; but they told us that 

 they had hares also, and the marmottas mentioned by 

 Krasheninikoff't. Hence it is evident that the sea 

 and rivers supply the greatest share of food to the 

 inhabitants. They are also obliged to the sea for all 



* History of Kamtschatka. Eng. Trans, p. 160. 

 f History of Kamtschatka, p. 99. 



