158 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA 61, FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE 



The pomarine jaeger proved to be a rare bird in the Aleutian 

 district, and there was no evidence of nesting. 



On the evening of May 21, 1936, several miles off Urilia Bay, 

 Unimak Island, 3 pomarine jaegers passed the ship — 2 were 

 together, followed by a single bird that Cecil Williams identified 

 at close range. On May 22, another pomarine jaeger was seen 

 offshore from Nelson Lagoon, Alaska Peninsula, and several 

 others were seen farther east later in the day. On two occasions, 

 we noticed a jaeger trying to rob an Arctic tern. On May 23, 

 three or four jaegers were seen in outer Nushagak Bay. Farther 

 west, on July 4, three jaegers were observed between Little 

 Tanaga and Kagalaska Islands. They probably were pomarinus, 

 because they were large and were light underneath; however, 

 positive identification was impossible. Another was seen at West 

 Unalga Island on August 3. 



Pomarine jaegers were seen again in 1937. One was seen 

 near Resurrection Bay on May 20 ; 1 was observed near the 

 Shumagins, May 23, and several were seen near Deer Island, 

 May 24; 1 was seen near Unimak Island, May 25; and 1 was 

 sighted west of Kiska Island, June 6. One June 17, the captain of 

 our ship counted 7 of these birds off Semichi Islands — I verified 

 4 of them. Later in the day, another was seen at sea, farther 

 eastward. On August 19, at Cape Cheerful, near Unalaska, there 

 were quite a number of these jaegers among the shearwaters, 

 and on August 24 one was seen near Bogoslof, among gulls and 

 shearwaters. 



Austin H. Clark (1910) saw a pomarine jaeger at Bower's Bank 

 in Bering Sea on June 3 — this is the only one that he noted. 



Pomarine jaegers were always found either at sea or well 

 offshore, they never were seen on land. Apparently, the waters 

 about the Alaska Peninsula and the Aleutians afford excellent 

 foraging for nonnesting individuals. Jaegers probably parasitize 

 gulls and shearwaters in this area, though no doubt they are also 

 capable of feeding directly from the water, where marine organ- 

 isms are so abundant. 



In 1924, we found the pomarine jaeger nesting commonly at 

 Hooper Bay, and no doubt the nonbreeding individuals would be 

 attracted to the Aleutian area, which must lie in their migration 

 path. 



Hartert (1920) records two specimens taken on the Commander 

 Islands. 



