52 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA 61, FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE 



The natives declared that these petrels (probably referring to 

 both species) nest "everywhere," but the following islands are 

 the only ones for which we have precise evidence of nesting of 

 Leach's petrel: Sanak Island group, Egg Island (McGregor, 

 1906), Amchitka (reported by Dall), Davidof, Kiska, Buldir, 

 Agattu, and Attu. Dr. Gabrielson noted evidence of their presence 

 on Amatuli Island, of the Barren Islands group, June 13, 1940. 

 They were especially numerous on Buldir Island, where we found 

 the greatest number of nesting burrows. No doubt they occur 

 on a great many other islands, as the natives intimated, but 

 probably in such small numbers that they are not easily detected. 



On Buldir Island, where we had the best opportunity for 

 examination, their burrows were found in the sandy banks above 

 the beach and along a stream, as well as on high grassy slopes, 

 well up on the higher part of the mountain. The burrows extended 

 about arm's length, often with a very small entrance so that it 

 was difficult to insert the hand, but generally there was an en- 

 larged chamber at the end. In sandy soil, the burrows were 

 larger in diameter; in sod, they were much smaller and the en- 

 trance was more obscure. There was a flat nest of dried grass in 

 the end chamber. Usually, there was a single bird in the nest, 

 but in at least 1 burrow there were 2 birds. 



Food Habits 



Leach's petrels have been observed following whales for food 

 fragments, and they have been seen picking fish refuse in the 

 vicinity of fishing boats. We obtained no additional data on their 

 food habits. 



Mortality Factors 



Foxes prey on these birds where nesting colonies are available. 



Family PHALACROCORACIDAE 



Phalacrocorax auritus: Double-crested Cormorant 

 Phalacrocorax auritus cincinatus 



Attu: Kuch-tirch 

 Unalaska: T'chung-ahh 



Of the three species of cormorants nesting throughout the 

 Alaska Peninsula and Aleutian Islands, the double-crested is 

 much less common than the pelagic or the red-faced. It nests 

 on Kodiak Island. Cahalane (1943) reported it to be abundant in 

 the Kodiak-Afognak group, and Gabrielson noted a few at Whale 

 Island and four in Uyak Bay. Probably it nests in the Barren 

 Islands also. Several were seen at Ushagat Island of this group, 



