68 



OKNltnoLOGlCAL EXPLORATIONS. 



inspection reveals that these are only decoys, empty skins held in posi- 

 tion by a stick protruding between the jaws and with the other end 

 thrust into the ground. 



Before long the sea and the horizon become lively with birds, and 

 soon the sky above us literally swarmed with these red-and-green- 

 beaked, white-masked, yellow-horned masses. It was "land-day," in- 

 deed! I only wondered that they did not suffer collision- with each 

 other during their liry sailing, for they were thick as May-flies round 

 an electric light, and flew both straight and rapid. 



When a Toporok crosses overhead of an Aleut he suddenly raises his 

 net ; the- bird, unable to turn aside, runs into it with a clash, falls to the 

 ground, and in a twinkling is added to the heap of other unfortunates 

 with broken necks. 



When full day has set in this sport is at an end, as then the birds fly 

 higher, and now comes the moment for me and my gun, for we, too, 

 want fresh Toporki for dinner ! 



To the accomj)animent of the buzzing breakfast-" samovar," I wrote 

 down my memoranda on fresh colors, individual variation, moulting, 

 &c., surrounded by hundreds of specimens, selecting desirable objects 

 for skinning, and preparing colored sketches of the fresh colors of bills, 

 eyes, &c., before they fade away and dry up. 



After a successful hunt we then returned in the "bajdarkas." 



The eggs are white, without gloss, usually with faint lilac spotSy 

 which are more numerous in a wreath around the blunt end. Owing tO' 

 the location of the nests in holes dug in the soil, the eggs are always 

 more or less stained. 



Dimensions of eggs. 



Locality. 



Copper Island . 



do 



do 



do 



State of incabation. 



Fresh. 



Do. 



Do. 

 Cent, small embryo, 



