THE OREGON NATURALIST. 63 



many weary miles trying to obtain a that Senator Mitchell was misinformed 



specimen for indentification or to find their when he stated in the U- S. Senate some 



nest, but in vain for the birds, wary and time ago that ship loads were annually 



shy of approach, would fly from one island gathered on Kadiak and sold for albumen, 



to another, alighting on all but showing a It takes a good many eggs to make a 



preference for none. ship load and a good deal of packing to 



The natives know the bird by a Russian get them safely home, 



name a yard long which when translated Larus occidentalis. 



is not edifying, they assured me'it bred on WESTERN GULL. 



the island which it undoubtedly does. Arrival, departure and habits same as 



Rissa tridactj'la pollicoris the last described species, but is not 



PACIFIC KITTIWAKE. nearly so common. 



In the months of April or May vast Larus argentatus smithwnianus. 



schools of small fish about two inches AMERICAN HERRING GULL, 



long called sand eels swarm into the bays Similar to the last in habits but more 



and harbors and with them come kitta- abundant, 



wakes in countlesst housands feeding on Sterna paradisaea. 



these fish and following them wherever ARTIC TERN, 



they go, and until the ragged edge is I'his elegant little sea bird arrives in 



taken off their hunger, they show no fear small bands about the middle of May. 



of man. They nest in May choosing the They nest in June choosing low sandy 



most inaccesible places in the face of high islandsfor the nesting site which is in 



bluffs overhanging the sea. marked contrast to the Gulls which always 



Fresh eggs were obtained until the end nest on the high rocky islands. They 



of June which may be accounted for by nest in colonies butthe nests are not placed 



the fact that The natives collect the eggs close together. 



for food. After the young are raised jthey The nest is a poor affair placed in a 



all leave for the south. tuft of grass and composed of the same 



Larus glaucescens. material. 



GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL. The eggs which resemble minature sea 



Resorts to the island to breed arriving gulls eggs are two in number, 



about the same time as the Kittiwakes but As far as noted the Terns do not 



remaining at least a month longer. They associate with Gulls, but different species 



nest in May on the out lying islands, nest in the same colonies. The natives 



building their nests on the tussocks of grass annually destroy great numbers of th» 



and using the same material with which eggs of these birds. 



to construct them. Great numbers of Sterna aleutica 



these eggs are annually gathered by the ALEUTIAN TERN, 



natives for food, but the writer feels sure Not so plentiful as the last species but 



