LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN GULLS AND TERNS. 47 



nests until ready to migrate in September. The description of the 

 downy young and the sequences of molts and plumages, already 

 given for the Atlantic kittiwake, will do equally well for the Pacific 

 subspecies. I can find no essential points of difference. 

 Food. — Nelson (1887) says of their feeding habits: 



From the end of August they frequent the inner bays and mouths of small 

 streams, and are often seen in large parties feeding upon the myriads of stickle 

 backs which are found along the coast at this season. They pursue their prey 

 in the same graceful manner as the terns, by hovering over the water and 

 plunging down head foremost. In the bay at St. Michaels they were frequently 

 seen following a school of white whales, evidently to secure such fragments of 

 fish or other food as the whales dropped in the water. It was curious to note 

 how well the birds timed the whale and anticipated their appearance as the 

 latter came up to blow. 



Along the beach at Nome we saw kittiwakes almost constantly 

 where they seemed to be picking up bits of garbage. IMr. A. W. An- 

 thony (1906) saw them in winter at Puget Sound, associated with 

 other gulls about the garbage heaps. 



Behavior. — Dr. E, W. Nelson (1883) pays the following tribute to 

 the flight powers of this kittiwake : 



During our cruising in the summer of 1881 I had repeated occasions to notice 

 the graceful motions and powers of flight possessed by this handsome gull. Its 

 buoyancy during the worst gales we met was fully equal to that possessed by 

 the Rodger's fulmar, with which it frequently associated at these times. These 

 birds were continually gliding back and forth in graceful curves, now passing 

 directly into the face of the gale, then darting oif to one side on a long circuit, 

 always moving steadily, with only an occasional stroke of the wings for long 

 periods if there was a strong wind. 



Mr. William Palmer (1890) also shows his admiration of it in the 

 following words: 



Viewed from the cliffs the flight of these birds is remarkably graceful, and 

 especially so when they have been disturbed from a midday siesta. I thus 

 disturbed several dozen one day and carefully watched them as they passed 

 and repassed the spot where I sat on tlie edge of the cliff. They were all 

 within 20 yards and continually paraded parallel with the cliff, all the while 

 intently watching me. They would pass by for some 30 to 40 yards, then 

 turn and fly an equal distance on the other side before again making a turn. 

 Usually the whole distance was accomplished by sailing, and often the turns 

 and several lengths were traveled in the same v/ay. Thus, selecting an indi- 

 vidual and keeping my eyes on him I often counted from two to three trips 

 without a flap of the wing. One individual thus noted made the trip seven 

 times without once changing his wings from their rigid outstretclied position. 

 The length of his parade was fully 50 yards and he sailed in an almost straight 

 line, and rarely varied his level, being about as high above the sea as I was 

 on the cliff. Not a movement of the air was perceptible to my senses. He 

 was often so close that as he passed I could distinctly see the movement of 

 his eye as he slightly turned his head to view me. Several times the fly lines 

 of two birds would cross at about the same level, but rarely would one flap 

 to gain impetus enough to get rapidly out of the way. It was more often 



