brooks: birds from east Siberia and arctic Alaska. 395 



POLYSTICTA STELLERI (Pallas). 



stellar's eider. 



A few Stellar's Eiders were seen at Cape ShipunskI, May 23, 1913, 

 At Providence Bay they were quite common in flocks during the first 

 three weeks of June 1913, and at East Cape, on June 7. On the 

 south side of St. Lawrence Island a number of large flocks were about 

 on June 25, 1913. These flocks consisted mostly of males, and the 

 birds keeping in shallow water close to the beach were so massed that 

 no space of water could be seen between them. We found no nests, but 

 had little time at our disposal to devote to this branch of field work. 



At Humphrey Point Mr. Dixon found a number of these birds, and 

 secured a good series between June 12 and July 7. At Demarcation 

 Point I saw on June 8, 1915, only one bird, a female sitting on the 

 bank of a small pond in company with a pair of Old-squaw. 



Arctonetta fischeri (Brandt). 



SPECTACLED EIDER. 



This species was only observed at St. Lawrence Island, and Hum- 

 phrey Point. On the south side at the former locality three specimens 

 were taken from a small flock on June 25, 1913. 



At Humphrey Point, Mr. Dixon secured five on June 12 and 26, 

 1914. 



SoMATERiA spectabilis (Linue). 

 king eider. 



King Eiders were common about Cape Chibukak, St. Lawrence 

 Island, in pairs and small flocks, on June 2, 1913. They were quite 

 common at Providence Bay early in June, and a few were seen at East 

 Cape, on June 7, 1913. 



At Cape Serdze enormous flocks were flying east, on July 16, 1913. 



Mr. Dixon found this species breeding sparingly at Humphrey 

 Point where it arrived on May 15, 1914. 



I found no nests at Demarcation Point nor did I see a bird until 

 June 7. From this date I saw King Eiders about every other day but 

 \'ery sparingly and never paired; generally a male with three or four 

 females or vice versa. 



