[15] SEA BIRDS AS BAIT FOR CATCHING CODFISH. 325 



the names of "Marlingspikes," "Wbiptails," etc.* The former term 

 being generally applied to the larger species, and the latter name to those 

 that are smaller, both appellations having a special reference to the two 

 long central tail feathers which is a distinguishing feature of birds of these 

 species. They usually are most abundant on the outer banks in spring 

 and fall, are rarely seen in midwinter, and are comparatively scarce in 

 midsummer. It is probable that in June and July the adult birds go in 

 to the land to incubate. I do not recollect of having seen a single in- 

 dividual of the smaller species in winter, and these are always much less 

 abundant than the larger varieties. The following extracts from notes 

 in my journal on the appearance and abundance of these birds on the 

 fishing-banks may perhaps be of interest. Before quoting these extracts, 

 however, I will say that on the 29th of August, 1878, 1 sailed from Glou- 

 cester on a fresh halibut trip to Bauquereau. On this occasion Mr. Ray- 

 mond L. i^ewcombt went with me, having been sent by Professor Baird 

 to collect birds for the Smithsonian Institution. 



When a few miles to the eastward of Thatcher's Island (Gape Ann) 

 on the day of sailing, we saw several joegers of the more common varie- 

 ties, most of them not having the long tail-feathers which are, generally 

 speaking, the characteristic feature of these birds. 



On September 3, some 20 miles eastward of Sable Island, Mr. New- 

 comb shot four jaegers, besides birds of other species. September 5, 

 we saw a number of birds belonging to the joeger family flying near the 

 vessel, too far off, however, to shoot; but the following day a marliug- 

 spike was killed and added to the collection. On the 8th jaegers were 

 quite plenty, and three of the common varieties and a black one were 

 killed. Two more marlingspikes and a whiptail were shot on the 9th, 

 and an Arctic jfeger was seen pn the 10th, but kept too far ofl' to be 

 shot. A black jteger was killed on the 12th, which was the last of these 

 birds obtained on the trip, as on that date we sailed for home. When 

 a few miles west of Cape Ann, September 17, we saw a jaeger engaged 

 in a fight with two herring gulls. 



The foregoing notes, together with the extracts that follow, cover about 

 eleven months' time, nearly all of which I spent at sea on the fishing - 

 banks, or in making passages to and from them. The presence of the 



*The uame of ''Marlingspike" is generally applied to the larger species, such as 

 the Pomarine Jaiger (S. pomatorhinus) that was seen hy Audubon at Labrador, and 

 which is, perhaps, the most common species on the banks, and to Richardson's jaeger 

 {S. i^arasiticus) , which, so far as my observations extends, is not very abundant on the 

 northeastern banks, l)ut is more commonly found in the Gulf of Maine. The Arctic 

 Ja;gor (<S. hnffoni), which is much smaller 1 ban the other two species mentioned above, 

 is called a "whiptail," because of the great length and flexibility of its two central 

 tail feathers. This is said to occur in greater abundance farther north tban it does on 

 the Grand Banks and adjacent fishing-grounds, where it is comparatively scarce an<l 

 always timid. 



tTlie gentleman who afterwards went as naturalist on the ill-fated Jeaunette, and 

 who fortunately survived the bardshi])s of the journey across the ice and nj) the Lena. 



