CRUISE OF STEAMER CORWIN IN THE ARCTIC OCEAN, 111 
STERCORARIUS PARASITICUS (Linn.) Saunders. 
(163.) LONG-TAILED JAEGER. 
The present species is the most elegant of the Jaégers in its general make-up, and especially 
when on the wing. At this time the bird shows all the grace and ease of movement which 
characterize such birds as the Swallow-tailed Kite and other species with very long wings and 
slender bodies. It appears to delight iu exhibiting its agility, and two or more frequently perform 
strange gyrations and evolutions during their flight as they pass back and forth over the low, flat 
country which they frequent. It is like the parasitic Jaéger, found more plentifully along the 
low portions of the coast than at sea, and is very numerous along the coast of Norton Sound. 
It was noted butt a few times by us during the cruise of the Corwin north of Bering Strait, but 
was seen at Saint Lawrence Island and various other places visited along the shores of this sea, 
especially on the American side. Toward Spitzbergen these birds are said to be rare and to 
increase in numbers toward Bering Strait. It is one of the species noted during the drift of the 
Jeannette in the ice to the north of Wrangel Island, but was very rare. 
PROCELLARIDA.. PETRELS, ALBATROSSES. 
DIOMEDEA NIGRIPES Aud. 
(163 a.) BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS. 
The “ gony,” as this bird is called on the North Pacific, is an abundant bird over this entire 
stretch of the ocean. It takes company with a vessel on its leaving San Francisco, and follows it 
to the neighborhood of the Aleutian Islands where it disappears; and, as we noted, in October, 
1881, soon after we left Ounalaska these birds appeared and were with us continually in ‘pleasant 
or stormy weather until we approached San Francisco. The majority seen were young, the light- 
colored birds being observed only at intervals. Nearly all are dark smoky-brown, but here and 
there may be seen one with a ring of white feathers around the rump, at the base of the tail ; and 
all have a marked line of white surrounding the base of the bill. Those with the white on the tail 
almost invariably have a white spot under each eye. The graceful evolutions of these birds afford 
one of the most pleasing sights during a voyage across the North Pacitic, and they are a source of 
continual interest during the otherwise monotonous passage. 
DIOMEDEA BRACHYURA Lemm. 
(164.) SHORT-TATLED ALBATROSS. 
On July 11, 1881, at Cape Rome, Alaska, just south of Bering Strait, was seen a young 
Albatross of this species in the dark plumage. It had a bright yellow bill, with a bright ring 
around the base, evidently produced by the white feathers surrounding the base of the beak. 
Later in the season adults of this species were seen between Saint Lawrence Island and Plover 
Bay, Siberia; and the mandibles of two specimens were obtained in the ruined villages on Saint 
Lawrence Island. As we passed the Diomede Islands, in the middle of Bering Strait, in July, a 
young Short-tailed Albatross was observed circling back and forth over the rising sea, which was 
being covered with foam by the gale which was rising at that time. 
These records are the most northern which we possess of this bird, and extend its range, as 
noted, to the middle of Bering Strait; and we can infer from this that the bird oceasionally 
wanders into the Arctic Ocean. To the south among the Aleutian Islands, reaching the vicinity 
of the seal islands occasionally, this bird is very abundant, in some instances fifteen or twenty 
being in view at one time while a vessel is sailing through some of the passes. In May, 1877, 
many of these birds were seen by me while passing from Ounalaska Island east to Sanakh, and 
again upon the return trip. They rarely approached the vessel, however, and it was impossible to 
secure one of them. 
