326 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FlSil AND FISHERIES. [10] 



different kinds of sea birds was a matter of special interest to me, juul 

 tlieir appearance or absence was carefully noted, therefore it is probable 

 that a general idea may be formed, from a study of these notes, of the 

 seasons when ja}ffers are most abundant on the outer banks. 



October 1, 1878.— Latitute 43° 54' N., longitude 58° 32' W., "1 shot a 

 hag and a marlingspike." 



October 3, 1S78. — "I skinned a marlingspike this morning, a hag and 

 a gull. Later in the day I shot three gulls and two jiegers." 



October 4, 1878. — " Shot a black marlingspike to-day, and skinned 

 one of the more common varieties."* 



November 13, 1878.— On Le Have Eidges, latitude 42° 49' K, longitude 

 02° 55' W. " Skinned four birds — three gulls and (me jaeger." 



April 13, 1879. — East end of Banquereau, latitude44o 39' N., longitude 

 57° 15' W. " I saw a jreger or gull-chaser to-day, the first I have seen 

 since last fall." 



April 29, 1879.— Latitude 44o 28' N., longitude 57° 12' W. " Shot 

 three jaegers and one gull to-day. There has been quite a number of 

 jaegers around for the past few days." 



May 1, 1879. — Same position as above. " Shot two whiptails and 

 three marlingspikes this morning. 1 shot two jsegers in the afternoon; 

 saw several Buffon's jaegers but did not get any." 



May 29, 1879.— South of Sable Island, latitude 43° 36' K, longitude 

 590 47/ w". " I shot a hag at noon, and another later in the day; also, 

 a whiptail, marlingspike, and mackerel gull-[tern.] " 



June 2, 1879.— Latitude 44° 30', longitude 57° 12' W. " Shot and 

 skinned an Arctic jaeger to-day." 



July 29, 1879.— Latitude 44° 14' N., longitude 58^ 03' W. " I have 

 seen no noddies this trip, and jaegers only twice.t 



The time when jaegers are most numerous on the fishing-banks, as 

 may be seen by the foregoing notes, is in the spring, late summer, and 

 fall. They never approach the numbers of the hagdon ; sometimes, per- 

 haps, a hundred or more may be seen flying around a vessel when iish 

 offal is being thrown out, but twenty-five or fifty birds of this genus are 

 about as many as are generally seen at one time. 



Whenever they are near they quickly detect the presence of food by 

 K'lny accumulation of other birds, such as petrels or gulls. The gather- 

 ing of a flock of petrels, or the first scream of a kittiwake, struggling 

 for the possession of a piece of offal thrown over from a vessel, or pounc- 

 ing on a codfish liver cast out from a boat, brings the fierce jaeger to 

 the si)Ot, sweeping down with tremendous speed and indescribable 

 rapacity to rob the feebler birds of what they have obtained, and so 

 violent and persistent are its attacks that it frequently compels the 

 gulls to disgorge the contents of their stomachs in order that they may 

 escape the persecutions of this pirate of the air. So fearful are the kitti- 



* 'J'bo po.sitioi) w.iH the sanu! for Octobor :U\ ,iii(l 41 li as that given for Iho 1st. 

 t W« sailed from Gloiictislor, Mass, Juno 1!). 



