8 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vot. 80 



A number of the birds have the new remiges only partly grown and 

 were probably quite flightless at the time. All the loons appear to 

 shed all their wing quills simultaneously. It is worthy of note that 

 they first acquire the more somber winter feathering and then go 

 through the temporary period of flightlessness. 



This bird was not previously known to inhabit St. Lawrence Island. 



GAVIA STELLATA (Pontoppidan) 



Rejd-throated Loon 



Colytnhus Stellatus Pontoi>pidan, Danske Atlas e. Konge-Riget Dannemark med 

 (lets naturlige Egenskaber, vol. 1, p. 621, 1763 (no locality inentione(i= 

 Denmark). 



Collins obtained two adults in breeding plumage and two birds in 

 winter feathering. The two latter are females, one adult and one 

 immature. The summer birds are without dates ; the adult female in 

 winter dress was shot on October 9 ; the immature bird in September. 

 All were taken at Gambell. 



The red-throated loon has not been recorded from St. Lawrence 

 Island before. It is rather strange that Brooks, Bailey, Hendee, and 

 others who made collections and observations there should have failed 

 to see it, and it may be assumed that it is less numerous on the island 

 than the Pacific loon. 



Family DIOMEDEIDAE, Albatrosses 



DIOMEDEA ALBATRUS Pallas 



Shobt-tailed Albatross 



Diomedea alhatrus Pallas, Spicilegia zoologica, etc., vol. 1, fasc. v, p. 28, 



1769 (ad Oram Kamtschatcae orientalum * * * ad insulam Beringil= 



Bering Sea). 

 Diomedea hrachyura, Nexson, Birds of Bering Sea, etc.. Cruise of the Corwin, 



p. Ill, 1883. 

 Diomedea alhatrus, TxjTvNer, Contr. Nat. Hist. Alaska, no. 11, p. 128, 1886. — 



Nelson, Report upon natural history collections made in Alaska, p. 61, 



1887. 



Nelson notes that " adults of this species were seen between St. 

 Lawrence Island and Plover Bay, Siberia, and the mandibles of two 

 specimens were obtained in the ruined villages on St. Lawrence 

 Island." Turner saw this albatross at sea near the island, but it 

 appears that the only definite records for the island itself are the two 

 mandibles found by Nelson, and these may have gotten there by hand 

 of man. Collins collected a maxilla of this species in the second 

 oldest village site at Gambell. The ruins with which it was asso- 

 ciated are at least 1,000 3'^ears old. 



