44 XATUEAL HISTORY COLLECTIONS IN ALASKA. 



The last of May and first of June, 1877, tbe writer fouml these birds rather common iu the bays 

 about Unalaska. They were in pairs and not shy. When one was shot the survivor would fly 

 abont iu a circle, frequently alighting in the water and uttering a low, plaintive whistle. 



Synthliboeampiius wuMizusxTME (Temni.). Temminck's ^Murrelet. 



The present species has been credited to the northwestern coast of America, and I mention it 

 here merely to call attention to the fact that no explorer has fonnd it in the region covered by this 

 paper. 



IS. Beachybamphus maemoratus (Gmel.). Marbled Murrelet. 



Large numbers of this Murrelet were taken at Sitka by Bischoff in both the winter (or irran- 

 (jeli) and the summer plumage. They have been found in the Aleutian Islands by Dali, and during 

 the suinmer of 18S0 Dr. Bean took them at Sitka, where they were in small flocks about June 0. 

 They were found near Unalaska in May, 1S77, by the writer, and they probably reach their north- 

 ern limit in this chaiji, where they breed. 



There is a fine field in these islands to study the habits and distribution of the Anklets, 

 Murrelets, and Guillemots of the North Pacific. Although the ground has been visited, yet no 

 systematic work has ever been attempted. 



>, Bbaciiyeampiius KiTTLiizii Brandt. Kittlitz's Murrelet. 



The first example of this rare bird known to exist in any American museum was secured by 

 the writer in Unalaska Ilarbor the last of May, 1877. The birds were in company with 8. antiquus 

 and B. marmoratvs, ard like the latter were not shy. Their habits appeared to be the same, all 

 feeding upon small Crustacea. These three species kept about the outer bays all the last half of 

 May, but about the first of June became scarce, as they sought their breeding places. Since my 

 capture Mr. Turner has taken another specimen in the Aleutian Islands, and the species may be 

 fonnd more common there when the islands have been more thoroughly explored. 



Cepphus mandtii (Licht.). Mandt's Guillemot. 



This species occurs on the Arctic and Bering Sea coast of Alaska and about the islands in 

 these waters, but its relative abundance, as compared with that of the following species, I am un- 

 able to give. As but one of the naturalists who have visited this region within the last fifteen 

 years mentions it in his paper, it has probably been confounded with columha. Murdoch found 

 these birds in the open water offshore at Point Barrow in the fall up to December, when the sea 

 closed. 



Cepphus columba Pall. Pigeon Guillemot (Esk. CMtj-u-ril). 



Among the larger water-fowl of Alaska this is one of the most numerous. They occur in great 

 abundance wherever the coast is bordered by bold headlands or where there are precipitous islands. 

 They are numerous about Sitka, Kadiak, the Shumagins, and all that portion of the Territory, as 

 well as along the entire length of the Aleutian chain. Throughout the region just named the 

 birds are resident. They breed commonly on the Near Islands, but are not resident. They also 

 breed abundantly on the Commander Islands. Dall found their eggs in the Shumagins on June 

 24. They were two in number, laid at the bottom of a hole under the rocks near the water's edge. 

 Young in down were taken on Uuga Island the middle of July. Their bright red legs and white 

 wing-patches render these birds very conspicuous. 



During May, 1877, I fonnd them very common in the bays about Unalaska and frequently 

 watched them as they swam about quietly feeding. They are graceful swimmers, and as they 

 move about frequently put their heads under water and paddle along some distance iu this posi- 

 tion. Whether this was for the purpose of looking for food beneath the surface or not could not 

 be determined. When approached in a boat they frequently came circling close by, as if to exam- 

 ine us more closely. Their common note is a low piping whistle, and Dr. Bean heard tliem utter- 

 ing calls like the chipping of a sparrow. 



