Avifauna of Franz Josef Land. 271 



27th of April, 1897 ; three young in dowa taken on the 

 11th and 2ith of August, 1894; and a chick on the 27th of 

 July, 1897 : all from Cape Flora. 



Though common enough in the south, there is no informa- 

 tion regarding the bird elsewhere in Franz Josef Land. 



Dr. Neale mentions that there are large " loomeries " at 

 Cape Crowther_, Cape Grant, Cape Stephen, Bell Island, and 

 Cape Flora, and that a few breed at Cape Forbes. He 

 found eggs, laid on the bare rock, on the 26th of June, 1882. 

 From the " loomery " at Cape Flora 1660 of these Guillemots 

 were shot in September 1881 by Mr. Leigh Smith's party 

 for winter stores. Dr. Neale notes that it became very scarce 

 at Cape Flora after the lOtli of September, 1881. It arrived 

 there, according to the same authority, on the 9th of March 

 in the spring of 1882. 



Dr. Nansen only once mentions Briinnich's Guillemot, 

 namely on the 16th of June, 1895, when he shot a single 

 bird some way to the north-east of the archipelago in 

 lat. 82° 19' N. 



[The Looms began to come down from the cliffs at Cape 

 Flora on the 13th of August, 1896, and the descent lasted 

 until August 24th. Several old birds came down with one 

 young one ; indeed I have seen as many as five accompanying 

 it. It is a bold flight to take, for the cliffs where they are 

 cradled are from 600 to 800 feet above sea-level, and these 

 young birds are not able to sustain their own weight during 

 so long an essay, but gradually come lower and lower until 

 they strike with a heavy thud on the floe or land. Some 

 quickly recover themselves and hurry away as fast as they 

 can to the open water, while others are harried by the Burgo- 

 masters {Larus glaucus) ; and those that are killed afford 

 food for the bears. Many of the young seem to perish, but 

 perhaps this is due to the large number of old ones that 

 had recently been shot for food, namely over 1400 for winter 

 stores. 



On the 25th of August I captured, labelled, and set free 

 nineteen young Looms, but have not yet heard that any of 

 them have been captured. The temperature of a young Loom 



