:I02 



THE MUSEUM. 



Strongylocentrotus franciscanus, Mammoth California Purple Urchin. Coast of California. 



2ist of August, 1882, I visited a num 

 erous colony on Bering Island, in 

 which the oldest young were about 

 half fledged. These would not be 

 able to fly before the first week of 

 September. Between the two periods 

 young in all stages of development 

 will be found in the colonies, but pro- 

 portionately few in number. 



The birds breed on all the most rug- 

 ged and steep promontories which rise 

 immediately from the sea, as well as 

 on the outlying islets and stones. 

 Most of them winter around the coast, 

 but they are not by far so common at 

 that season as during summer. The 

 eggs measure 56 to 59 mm by 34 to 

 37 mm. Of a set of three taken, one 

 egg was perfectly clear, the second 

 contained a very small embyro, while 

 the third one contained a somewhat 

 larger foetus. 



Snowy Owl. 

 Nyctca nyctea. 

 The Snowy Owl is now quiet com- 

 mon on Bering Island, although only 

 a few years ago it was regarded as rare. 

 It now feeds on the m\riads of mice, 

 and grows exceedingly fat. They re- 

 main in the neighborhood of the Village 

 until the beginning of May, on the 

 2d day of which three individuals were 

 still to be seen. Most of them then 

 retired to the higher mountains in the 

 interior of the southern part, but a few 

 pair breed not far from the sea shore. 

 Thus, for instance, a pair was seen 

 during the whole summer in the neigh- 

 borhood of the great seal rookery, and 

 on the 3rd of September 1883, a family 

 of five individuals had taken posts close 

 to the road between the rookery and 

 the village. The specimens are rather 

 heavily barred, even the lightest male 

 being very much so. 



