198 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA 61, FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE 



In Unimak Pass, however, these birds occur in numbers and 

 have been recorded there by Bent (1919), Wetmore (field notes), 

 and Nelson (1887). Laing (1925) observed them in Akutan Pass. 



During our various expeditions, no least auklets were identified 

 east of Amlia, where we saw a few. On Koniuji and Kasatochi, 

 a little farther west, they are very numerous and there are large 

 colonies on Gareloi, Semisopochnoi, Segula, Kiska, and Buldir. 

 This group of islands contains the principal least auklet popu- 

 lations in the Aleutians, and, on some of these islands, they were 

 concentrated in greater numbers than the other auklets. 



We found trace of this species on a few other islands — a few 

 were seen at Amatignak, a wing was found on Tanadak, and the' 

 remains of a few birds were found on Bobrof, where blue foxes 

 had feasted. 



We did not find them in the Near Islands, though Turner re- 

 ported them near Semichi (1886) and breeding on Agattu. Nel- 

 son undoubtedly was quoting Turner when he wrote (1887) "This 

 species is abundant on the Near Islands where it breeds on 

 Agattu, but does not winter there." 



Possibly, the breeding range has been curtailed since Turner's 

 observations by the introduction of foxes. We know from native 

 reports that least auklets were once abundant on Bobrof Island 

 but that now they are rare because of the introduction of blue 

 foxes. 



Nesting and Feeding Habits 



In the manner of other auklets, this species nests among boul- 

 ders on the beach, in openings in cliffs, and in jumbled lava beds. 

 We found the greatest concentrations on extended beds of lava 

 that were partly covered with vegetation, and on the mountainous 

 slopes of islands such as Gareloi, Segula, and Semisopochnoi. 



In common with other auklets, this bird feeds on small crus- 

 taceans, and it has the habit of loading itself with food on a 

 foraging trip at sea to the extent that, when it comes back to 

 the nesting place, it often literally "spills over" on landing. 

 Hence, the pink material that is so prevalent on the nesting 

 grounds. 



Stejneger has reported on the contents of the crops of several 

 specimens from the Commander Islands. Briefly stated, the con- 

 tents were as follows: One crop contained several small Gam- 

 maridae ; the stomach and crop of another contained Gammaridae 

 and Palaemonidae ; one crop was crammed with small Palaemoni- 

 dae; and another crop contained amphipods. 



