64 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA 61, FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE 



concentrated about Isanotski Strait. Atka natives said that geese 

 passed eastward at Isanotski in August. 



Chief Ermeloff, of Umnak, said that geese passed there "in the 

 fall." Nick Kristensen, who has lived many years on Unimak 

 Island, said geese arrived at Urilia Bay before they reached St. 

 Catherine Cove, and he wondered, because Urilia Bay lies west 

 of St. Catherine Cove, if this meant they "came from Siberia 

 somewhere." 



Jochelson (1933) says: "In April it flies to the west, in 

 October to the east, resting on the islands." 



It is evident that there was an annual fall migration eastward 

 along the Aleutians. When the Aleutian birds arrived at the 

 west end of the Alaska Peninsula, they undoubtedly joined the 

 throngs of cackling geese that came down from the north. 



On August 14, 1936, we noted six cackling geese' flying south- 

 ward over Nunivak Island. We were told that they linger a 

 bit on the south side of Nunivak Island before continuing farther 

 south. According to local information, they generally arrive at 

 Unimak and the Alaska Peninsula about September 1, but they 

 do not become numerous until 1 or 2 weeks later. Then, they 

 assemble in surprising numbers and congregate at Urilia Bay, 

 Swanson Lagoon, and St. Catherine Cove, all on Unimak Island, 

 and at Izembek Bay, head of Morzhovoi Bay, Nelson Lagoon, 

 and Port Moller on the Peninsula. In 1942, Gabrielson reported 

 the first fall migrant at Izembek Bay as early as "late in July." 



In 1925, accounts of the coming of the geese in "countless 

 thousands" and "millions" testified to unusual concentrations, and 

 it is safe to say that this area is the prinicpal gathering place for 

 geese nesting along the shore of Bering Sea northward, as 

 well as those from the Aleutians proper. The emperor goose and 

 the 2 forms of the Canada goose all assemble here — of the two, 

 the Canada geese are in the majority. 



This area seems to be a place where the geese can fatten in 

 the fall before continuing to their wintering grounds. They 

 are said to feed to some extent on eelgrass; minima and leuco- 

 pareia feed mostly on crowberry (Empetrum nigrum) and other 

 berries and spend so much time on the slopes seeking these foods 

 that they are known locally as "land geese" — distinguishing them 

 from the "beach goose," which is the local name for the emperor 

 goose. 



The geese become very fat and leave for the south about 

 November 1, though according to some reports it is as late as 

 November 15 or 20. Probably, the earlier date is the more 



