LIFE HISTORIES OF NOETH AMERICAN WILD FOWL, 257 



Mr. S. F. Rathbiin has sent me the following notes in regard to 

 the black brant, as seen on the coast of Washington : 



Some time during November the arrival of the black brant may be expected 

 in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the lower Sound. During the winter months, 

 however, it will be found in all the waters of Puget Sound, but not so com- 

 monly as in the first mentioned localities, for it appears to prefer the open 

 waters, in such at times assembling in large flocks. And this statement may be 

 qualified to an extent, for there are certain spots to which the bird seems 

 partial. 



In and near the eastern end of the strait lies Smiths Island, this being an 

 abrupt bit of land not many acres in extent. Running eastward fi'om the island 

 is a long ledge or spit almost a mile in length, an extension as it were, parts 

 of which are exposed only at the times of low tides, and to the north is a 

 wide expanse of water having numerous kelpbeds. This locality is a much 

 favored one by the black brant, and here almost any time during the winter 

 and early spring months it may be seen in large numbers. Another place 

 where it may invariably be found is in the general vicinity of Dungeness on 

 the strait, and here also kelpbeds exist, for this bird appears to favor the 

 spots where this marine growth is to be found. These localities are favorite 

 ones in which to hunt this bird, but even so this hunting involves at times 

 considerable work and exposure, to say nothing of the time required. One 

 never knows what character of weather will be experienced, for sometimes a 

 number of days will elapse before one arrives on which sport can be had. 

 As a rule the black brant is an easy bird to decoy, and when hunting it one 

 needs but little concealment. Often the blind used is simply some log or up- 

 rooted tree that has drifted ashore, over which will be draped in a careless 

 way seaweed or kelp, or both, the flotsam of the beach. On the windward 

 side the decoys are placed in the water, to be changed from time to time accord- 

 ing to the run of tide. If the brant are flying, ordinarily but little time will 

 elapse before some passing flock sights the decoys and almost invariably comes 

 to them. And frequently such birds that escape the fire will — as if governed 

 by mere fatuousness — return to be shot at again, sometimes the result being 

 that the entire flock is killed. 



This species appears to be restricted to the salt water, and its food being in 

 the nature of marine vegetation and the smaller forms of marine life, gives 

 somewhat of a clue to the reason why it exhibits the partiality shown for the 

 vicinity of the beds of kelp. 



DISTRIBUTION 



Breeding range. — Arctic coasts of western North America and 

 eastern Asia. East on Arctic islands to about 110° or 100° W. 

 (Melville Island, Banks Land, etc.) and on the mainland to Corona- 

 tion Gulf- Westward along the coasts of Canada, Alaska, and 

 Siberia to the Taimyr Peninsula and New Siberia Islands. North 

 to Banks Land (Cape Kellett, etc.) and Melville Island (Winter 

 Harbor) . Probably intergrades with hernicla at the eastern and the 

 western limits of its range. 



Winter range. — Mainly on the Pacific coast of the United States. 

 North to British Columbia (Comox, Vancouver Island). South to 



