40 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA 61, FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE 



kiska Islands, and, later in the evening, we saw one nearer to 

 Kiska Island. 



In 1937, we saw them oftener: On May 31, 1 north of Seguam; 

 on June 2, at least 3 west of Atka; on June 3, several near the 

 Petrel Banks and 2 between Kiska and Segula ; on June 17, 1 east 

 of Semichi Islands; on June 18, 1 east of Buldir; and, on July 

 31, 1 specimen was taken at Ulak Island, 178° W. longitude. 



In 1938, Scheffer reported the following: On August 11, 4 

 were seen south of Atka, 3 of these in 1 group ; August 14, 1 was 

 seen south of Khwostof; August 17, 1 was seen northwest of 

 Semichi ; August 25, 1 was seen south of Tanaga ; and, on Septem- 

 ber 23, 1 was seen in the Gulf of Alaska off Cape Hinchinbrook. 



On June 9, 1940, Gabrielson observed a white albatross fol- 

 lowing the ship in the Gulf of Alaska. In 1941, he saw the 

 following: February 3, 1 was sighted near Amchitka, and on 

 February 7, 2 were seen near Amchitka Pass; June 24, 1 was 

 seen at Tanaga Bay ; June 27, 1 was seen near Amchitka ; and on 

 July 22, 2 were seen near Attn. 



Were all these birds the Laysan albatross, the same as the 

 one specimen collected, or were some, or most, of them albatrus? 



The specimen collected weighed 4 pounds 6 ounces. Its length 

 was 30V2 inches, and wingspread was 77^ inches. 



During 1947, 1948, and 1949, on crusies for the Fish and 

 Wildlife Serice in North Pacific waters, Karl W. Kenyon (1950) 

 made noteworthy observations on albatross distribution. Alert 

 to the confusion in sight identifications of light-colored birds, he 

 gave close attention to field characteristics. 



On October 13, 1948, Kenyon saw a Laysan albatross about 230 

 miles east of Kodiak, and Captain Carlson said that during 5 

 round trips to the Pribilofs he often saw 1 or 2 of the white 

 albatrosses with the black wings and back at about this same 

 place while crossing the Gulf between Kodiak and Cape Spencer 

 but not in the Bering Sea. 



Kenyon records a number of other sightings in the North 

 Pacific, but south of the Aleutian chain. He received parts sal- 

 vaged by Elmer C. Hanson from two dead birds at the Army 

 air base at Amchitka, June 5, 1948, which were sufficient for 

 identification as Laysan albatrosses. 



