192 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA 61, FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE 



nesting ground. However, on May 23, 1937, we saw several 

 Cassin's auklets not far east of the Shumagins. On August 26, 

 1937, several flocks were noted off Lava Point, Akutan Island, 

 and, on the next day, near Kaligagan Island in Unimak Pass, a 

 few groups were noted. George Ermeloff, former chief of Umnak 

 Village, stated that this auklet nested on Keegaloo and Adugak 

 Island, but added: "I guess foxes finish now." 



On June 14, 1936, at least 12 of these birds were feeding in the 

 tide rips off the shore of Yunaska Island in company with the 

 more numerous whiskered auklets. 



Paul Dirks, former resident of Atka, said that years ago 

 Cassin's auklets were numerous, "millions of them," on 2 small 

 islands, 1 on the north side of Amlia, the other on the south side. 

 He assumed that they were still there, but some native bystanders 

 from Atka remarked that there are not so many there any more, 

 for the blue foxes now swim over to these small islands. Paul's 

 brother, Bill Dirks, chief of Atka Village, said these auklets also 

 nest on one of the small islets at the east end of Tagalak, on 

 Ikiginak, Oglodak, Amtagis, on a small islet in Iskum Bay (Atka 

 Island) ; on a small islet in the bay west of Amlia Pass; on two 

 pinnacles just west of Cape Idalug (Amlia Island) ; and on 

 Tanadak, south of the east tip of Amlia. All of these islands 

 mentioned by the Dirks brothers are in the general vicinity of 

 Atka and Amlia Islands. It may be mentioned that Turner (1886) 

 obtained his one specimen from Atka Island. 



On July 7, 1936, at Kasatochi Island, a number of these auklets 

 were identified among the vastly more abundant least and crested 

 auklets. 



Ilak Island was mentioned as another nesting place, but natives 

 pointed out that blue foxes recently had been placed on that is- 

 land. On our visit to Ilak Island, we found no live Cassin's auklets, 

 but a few must have been present, for we found their remains 

 in at least three blue-fox droppings. 



Clark (1910) noticed these birds about Unalaska, Atka, and 

 Agattu, and he saw a few at Attu. We found none of these birds 

 west of Ilak. 



In earlier times, the Cassin's auklet was considered a delicacy 

 by the Aleuts, and Paul Dirks described one method of capture. 

 A fire was built at night near their nesting place. As the birds 

 came to the fire, dazzled by the light, they were seized and 

 thrown into a bag. This attraction to light suggests the similar 

 behaviour of the petrels. 



