42 NATURAL HISTORY COLLECTIONS IN ALASKA. 



Ou October 13, 1879, an Eskimo brought me a young- bird of the year takeu by liim at sea off 

 Saint Michaels. The bird measured 9 inches in length by 19 inches in extent. The iris comprised 

 a broad outer ring of greenish white and a narrow ring of slate-blue, bordering the pupil, boUi 

 sharply defined. The bill was dark horn color, the feet and tarsi blue. Specimens were also 

 brought me in spring from the north coast of Norton Sound. 



In Bering Straits, and about Saint Lawrence and Saint Matthew's Islands, this species and 

 C. 2)sittaculiis have the same habits and are found iu equal abundance. They choose the same 

 nesting sites, and each lays a single white egg upon the bare rock or ground. 



Along the Siberian coast S. cristatellus is much less numerous than C. psittaciclus, the Diomede 

 Islands in the straits being the center of abundance of both. 



Upon the Fur Seal Islands they also breed in great numbers, occupying the cliffs with the 

 other auks. They arrive there in May, and deposit their eggs so deep down iu the crevices that^ 

 Mr. Elliott had much trouble to secure four specimens. On the Diomedes I secured a considerable 

 number with but little difficulty. Elliott credits these birds with a loud "clanging honlcMkc 

 sound" during the breeding season, and as being silent at other times. 



The eggs taken on these islands are chalky white in color, and measure 2.31 by 1.01 largest, 

 and 2.0C by 1.50 smallest. The young are fully fledged about the 10th or 15th of August. At 

 this time, and until late iu fall, the crest is scarcely to be detected, except as a slight ruffling of 

 the feathers late in the season. The food of this species consists of Crustacea and other small sea 

 aniHjals, which swarm in the North Pacific and Bering Sea. 



Unlike C. psittaculus this species is very rarely found iu bays, preferring the open water out- 

 side, where they frequently gather upon the water in close bodies, covering acres. At other times 

 they gather in long lines to feed about a tide-rip. They are resident and breed in great abun- 

 dance about the entire Aleutian chain and thence east to Kadiak, at least. 



The small rounded palpebral ornaments of these birds are used by the Eskimo of Bering 

 Straits to ornament their fishing-lines, and the crests and bright-colored bill ornaments are also 

 much used by the same people and the Saint Lawrence islanders as ornaments for their water- 

 proof coats. 



The bill-moult of this species occurs the last of August and during September, and leaves the 

 bill strikingly changed and reduced. Birds taken by us in Bering Straits in September were in 

 the midst of this change, and the bright-colored corneous parts about the base of the bill were 

 removed with the greatest ease by the thumb and fingers. 



SiMOKHYNCHUS PYGMiEtTS (Gmcl.). Whiskered Auklet. 



Concerning this species I have uo original observations. It breeds abundantly on the Near 

 Islands but does not winter there. It also breeds on the Commander Islands. The young was 

 described as a species by Cones under the name of cassim, but its true i-elationshij) has been 

 known for some time. 



In Ball's list of the birds of the Territory this species is only mentioned in recording the 

 capture of a specimen of " cassini,''^ which flew on board their vessel while becalmed in Unemak 

 Pass, near Unalaska, ou August 3, 18G6. The species is unknown from the Fur Seal Islands, 

 and we have no knowledge of its numbers and distribution in the Aleutian chain. It is quite 

 possible that it may have been overlooked, being taken for the next species which abounds every- 

 where. 



SiMORHYNCHUS PUsiLLVS (Pall.). Least Auklet. 



Of all the water-fowl of Bering Sea this trim little bird is the most abundant. The 1st of 

 May, 1877, they were extremely abundant in large flocks in the passes about the eastern end of 

 the Aleutian chain, and as we passed the Fur Seal Islands, the middle of June, they were again 

 seen in great numbers. During my four years at Saint Michaels only a single specimen was 

 secured. This was taken near that place the last of June, and measured 7 inches in length by 

 13 inches iu extent; its pupil was very small, surrounded by a broad white iris, shaded with rose 

 color on its outer border. 



