FAUNA OF THE ALEUTIAN ISLANDS AND ALASKA PENINSULA 191 



cause of the blue-fox industry. Nelson (1887) states that Dall 

 found the ancient murrelet breeding abundantly at the Chica 

 Islets, in Akutan Pass, near Unalaska, and he adds that Dall 

 found them to be abundant throughout the Aleutian chain. 



Turner (1886) obtained a specimen at Atka, June 12, 1879, and 

 says "Among the Nearer Islands this Murrelet is abundant in 

 summer, breeding, and is sparingly resident; rarely coming to 

 Attu, but more plentiful on the western end of Semichi and the 

 south side of Agattu." 



We recorded them specifically at Umnak, Kagamil, Carlisle, 

 Herbert, Amukta, Adak, Amlia, Salt, Igitkin, Kasatochi, Gareloi, 

 Ogliuga, Kiska, Little Sitkin, Buldir, and Semichi Islands. 



Beals and Longworth found them at Unimak Island in small 

 groups from March 24 to April 27, 1941, and saw them again on 

 August 28, 1941. 



We found the ancient murrelets nesting in burrows ; a cold egg 

 was found on one occasion in the burrow of a tufted puffin. Early 

 accounts and the statements of natives agree, however, that 

 these murrelets also nest in clumps of tangled grass. 



Clark (1910) says "Ancient murrelets were very common all 

 about the shores of the Aleutian Islands and in the bays and har- 

 bors, being rather more numerous about Atka, Attu, and especially 

 Agattu, than elsewhere." 



Cahn found them "not uncommon during the winter months" 

 around Unalaska Island. 



This is one of the species that undoubtedly has greatly declined 

 in recent years, as a result of increase of the blue-fox industry. 



Ptychoramphus aleutica: Cassin's Auklet 



Ptychoramphus aleutica aleutica 

 Atka: Mak-cheeth-ah 



It proved to be a little difficult to identify this bird when speak- 

 ing with the natives, but it is believed the native name given 

 above is correct. We could obtain no name in the Attu dialect, 

 as the people did not seem to know the bird. 



While the Cassin's auklet is supposed to range "from the Aleu- 

 tians and Queen Charlotte Islands to Lower California," it is 

 by no means equally abundant throughout this range, nor uni- 

 formly present therein. It is known to nest at Kodiak (Fried- 

 mann 1935). To the westward of that place it is no longer 

 common. It formerly nested in large numbers on Sanak Island, 

 according to local residents and early accounts (Bendire 1895), 

 but today it has nearly, if not entirely, disappeared from that 



