CRUISE OF STEAMER CORWIN IN THE ARCTIC OCEAN. ' 95 
yet it was not noted by us during our cruising along that coast in the summer of 1881, nor was it 
seen on Wrangel Island, although on this island we saw evidences of the presence of some species 
of geese; but our short stay prevented our ascertaining their identity. Mr. Dall tells us that upon 
his return to the coast of California in the latter part of October enormous flocks of these birds: 
were seen about one hundred miles off shore as they were flying south, frequently alighting in the 
water near the ship. 
PHILACTE CANAGICA (Sevast.) Bannist. 
(120.) EMPEROR GOOSE. 
This strange and handsome bird has the most limited range of any American species of Goose. 
It summers and raises its young on the Bering Sea coast of Alaska from the mouth of the Kusko- 
quim River north to Bering Strait; but north from the Yukon mouth it is found very rarely. 
From the Yukon mouth south to Cape Vaneouver may be taken as the point of its greatest abun- 
dance. Here it occurs in thousands every summer. From this point it extends its range to the 
westward, and occurs in considerable numbers upon Saint Lawrence Island, where we saw 
considerable numbers of them during June 24, 1881, while we were lying at anchor off the north- 
west end of the island. During this time abundant flocks of these birds were passing and 
repassing along this end of the island, apparently on their way to and from some favorite 
feeding ground. a 
At East Cape several birds were seen the first of July, and they were found by Nordenskiéld, 
arriving at his winter quarters at Tapkan on the northern coast of Siberia in the spring as soon as 
the snow left; and he speaks of them in his account of the Vega’s voyage as the “ Painted 
Goose” of Pallas. There isa record of two or three instances of their occurrence in Port Clarence, on 
the. American shore of Bering Strait, and I know of two pairs being taken in Golovnin Bay on the 
north coast of Norton Sound, and others at Shoktolik, on Norton Bay, with the chain of occurrences 
continued south by- Saint Michael’s tothe Yukon mouth. But at all these points except the last this 
bird is very rare. Just low numerous it is on the Siberian coast is still unknown; but from its large 
numbers along the American shore and its wintering habitat restricted mainly to the Aleutian 
Islands, where it is found in the greatest abundance at this season on the various parts of the 
chain, it may be confidently designated as an American species which extends its range during 
the summer to portions of the northeastern Siberian coast. My first acquaintance was made with 
“this bird on Akoutan Island, just east of Ounalaska, in May, 1877, when a native brought one on 
board the vessel; and we learned from him that it is more or less common wherever open beaches 
are found along these islands, and in consequence are called ‘Beach Geese” by the natives. Those 
groups of rocky islets to the south of the Aleutian chain, known as the Shumagin and Sanak 
Islands, and others lying nearer the south shore of the Aliaska Peninsula form the principal 
wintering ground of this species; thence to the west along the entire Aleutian chain it occurs, 
but in Jess numbers than on that portion just mentioned. 
ANAS BOSCAS Linn. 
, (121.) THE MALLARD DUCK. 
On the entire Bering Sea coast of Alaska the common Mallard is a comparatively rare duck. 
It is most numerous from the northern shore of Norton Sound in the vicinity of Saint Michael’s, 
south to the mouth of Kuskoquim River, but is nowhere abundant. It was not seen by us during 
the cruise of the Corwin, nor is it recorded from the northeastern Siberian coast or the Arctic 
within the region treated in this paper. Elliot mentions a pair of these birds which reared their 
young on the Saint Paul Island of the fur seal group during the season of 1872, and several others 
were seen later in the season. He also noted the bird on Saint George’s Island, but not as a 
regular visitor. It is recorded by Mr. Dall as one of the most abundant winter visitors among the 
ducks at Ounalaska, oceurring in considerable numbers by October 12, 1871, and from then until 
the succeeding month of April it was very numerous. It is not known to breed on the Aleutian 
Islands, but only along the coast and islands to the northward. 
