ALASKA. 



197 



'^I bave seen but four or five examples of tbis species, wbieb 

 imxy be rated as an infrequent visitor. It may be found upon 

 the grassy upbmds, where it will alight and stand dozing in an 

 indolent attitude for liours. >:o one of the three species of 

 Stercorarius was observed to breed here." 



Numerous eggs of this species from the l)arren grounds of 

 the Anderson Kiver region, and the arctic coast to the east- 

 ward, otfer the following characters: The ground color is as 

 various, and of tUe same shades, as that already mentioned 

 under head of ynmcuius horeaJlH, and in fact tbe whole aspect 

 of the egg, markings included, is quite similar. But although 

 pointed, they have not the peculiar pyriform shape usual among 

 Limicohv. 1 lind no specimens heavily marked at the butt, 

 though the tendency is to a wreath by confluence around 

 the larger end. In some specimens the markings are all small 

 and scratchy, and distributed with "uniform irregularity "over 

 the whole surface. A certain proportion of stone-gray shell- 

 markings always appears to accompany the various chocolate 

 and other browns of the surface. Specimens range from 2.40 

 X 1.70 to 2.00 X 1.50, averaging nearer the former dimension. 

 . The eggs of the next species cannot be distinguished from 

 those of the present with certainty, since, though they average 

 less in size, the larger specimens overlap the measurements of 

 -even average ])amsiticus. A fair specimen is 2.10 x l-")l) ; the 

 smallest examined measured only 1.90 x lAO. 



.542. Stercorarius buffoni, (Boie.) Coues.— Xo»i;-^a/7eJ Jujer. 

 f Catharada cepphns, Brunx. Oin. Bor., 36, (1764.) 

 Lestris cepplius, Keys et .Blas. Wirb. Eur., i, "240, (1840.) 

 Stercorarius cepplms, Gkay. Gen. of B., iii, 65*2, (1849.)— Lawu. 



B.N. 

 A., 840, (1858.)— CoUES. Proc. Pbil-a. Acad.,"243, (1861.) 

 f Harm parasiticm, Lath. lud. Om., ii, 819, (1790.) 

 Lestris parasiticus, Tem.m. Mau. Orn., iv, 501, (1840.)— Sw. & 



Rich. F. B. A., ii, 430, (1831.) 

 Stercorarius longicandatus, Biussox.— Vieill. Xouv. Diet.. 



xxxii, 157, (1819.) 

 Lestris Jomjicaudatus, Tiiomp. Xat. Hist. Ireland, iii, 399, (1851.) 

 Cataractis longicaudatus, Macojill. Mau. Orn., ii, 258, (1842.) 

 Lestris huffoui, Boie. Isis, 562-570, (1822.) 

 Stercorarius huffoni, Coves. Proc. Pliila. Acad., 136, (1863.)— 



DALLetBAXX. Trans. Chic. xVcad., i, 304, (1869.)— Coles. Key 



N. A. Birds, 310, 1872. 

 Lestris lessoni, Deglaxd. Mem. Soc. Roy. Lille, ('1838.) 

 Lestris crepidata, Bheiim. Xaturg. Eur. Yo^^., 747, (1823.) 



"Seldom seen. The specimen in my collection is one of 



