FAUNA OF THE ALEUTIAN ISLANDS AND ALASKA PENINSULA 47 



strata. Each of these recesses was occupied by a fulmar, nesting 

 with a single egg. They nested also on other types of ledges 

 and on the grassy slopes all the way to the snow line. 



On the same day, we found another large fulmar colony on the 

 neighboring island of Amukta. These two islands have the largest 

 and the principal nesting colonies of fulmars in the Aleutian 

 chain. 



In 1937, we found fulmars nesting in considerable numbers on 

 the reddish cliffs of Segula Island (also known as Chugul), 

 though this group was not nearly so large as those on Amukta 

 and Chagulak. 



Another nesting place is Gareloi Island. Natives had assured 

 us that fulmars nest there, though we did not find the birds on 

 the first trip. In 1937, however, we found them in limited num- 

 bers on the south side of the island. According to the natives, 

 their numbers had been decimated, at least on all accessible ledges, 

 since the introduction of the blue foxes. The volcanic eruption 

 of 1930 also disturbed them; however, if the foxes were re- 

 moved, this colony should increase. 



Natives told us that the fulmars nest on outlying rocks at 

 Unalga Island, southwest of Gareloi, but we found none there in 

 August. They are also reported to nest on Agattu, but we 

 failed to find them. 



It is highly probable that a nesting colony will eventually be 

 discovered in the general vicinity of Unimak Pass, perhaps on 

 some isolated cliff or islet at Unimak Island, because fulmars are 

 common in that area. A full schedule and bad weather prevented 

 us from exploring that part of the Aleutian chain as thoroughly 

 as we wished. 



Food Habits 



We had assumed that fulmars feed to a large extent on plank- 

 ton, for we often found them congregated in tide rips, busily 

 feeding. And Arnold (1948), observing a huge concentration 

 of fulmars and shearwaters in Unimak Pass, found that they — 



evidently were feeding on a type of reddish-orange water life. On occason, 

 when one of the birds was hard-pressed to leave the area in the immediate 

 vicinity of the ship, it would turn its head down and to one side and 

 regurgitate a reddish-orange liquid substance. 



However, records show a great variety in fulmar diet, including 



refuse from ships. 



A. W. Anthony (1895) has pointed out an interesting feeding 

 habit of the fulmar off the California coast. Speaking of a large 

 jellyfish that is abundant along that coast, he says, 



