112 CRUISE OF STEAMER CORWIN IN THE AROTIC OCEAN. 
FULMORUSGLACIALIS RODGERSI (Cass.) Coues. 
(165.) RopGER’s FULMAR. 
This is an extremely abundant bird over all the deep-water portions of Bering Sea, extending 
into the Aretic Ocean to the vicinity of the ice pack. It rarely visits the eastern shore of the sea, 
however, from the mouth of the Kaskoquim north to the head of Norton Sound, the shallow and 
muddy character of the water here apparently not being suitable for the presence of food upon 
which this bird exists. On the western shore of the sea in the vicinity of Plover Bay and Saint 
Lawrence Island, thence north through Bering Strait, the bird was found in the greatest abundance 
during the visit of the Corwin to that region. [t was also abundant north beyond the Straits 
along the Siberian shore. ‘The shallow character of the water on the American coast north of the 
Straits had the same effect in not presenting suitable foraging ground for these wide-ranging 
birds. 
Nordenski6éld tells us that the common Fulmar, which is the North Atlantic representative of 
the bird under consideration at present, is much more common on Bear Island and Spitzbergen 
than it is upon Nova Zemlya. It breeds abundantly on Bear [sland on some of the sloping cliffs 
not difficult of access. One case is mentioned where on May 26, 1876, the eggs were seen deposited 
directly upon the bare ice which covered the rocks at the time. In one place a bird was found 
frozen fast by one leg as it sat upon the eggs, in August, 1596, as recorded by one of the old Dutch 
expeditions which touched that coast. On the northern part of Nova Zemlya, Barents found some 
Fulmars nesting upon a piece of ice covered with a little earth. In both of these cases the 
underpart of the egg during hatching could not be warmed above the freezing point. 
During the cruise of the Corwin in Bering Sea and the Arctic, it was observed that on some 
days Rodgers Fulmars would be seen in large numbers; and again in passing over the same 
area nota single individual would be noticed. These birds breed on the precipitous islands of 
Bering Sea, and I am inclined to think some nest upon Herald Island in the Aretie Ocean. 
Although in our hasty visit to that island none were seen, yet the cliffs on the side opposite our 
landing were eminently suitable for nesting places such as these birds delight to choose, and the 
abundance of the bird up to within a comparatively short distance of this land, rendered the 
supposition probable. Elliot found them breeding in greatest abundance upon the fur-seal islands, 
where he secured their eggs. 
As we approached the harbor of Ounalaska on September 22, 1881, hundreds of these birds 
were seen in the ordinary light-colored plumage, which were in company with about an equal 
number of birds either of the same species or a closely related one of exactly the same size, 
which were clad in a sooty-brown or blackish-brown plumage. Both birds were sitting in the 
water in immense flocks, covering acres, and as we steamed among them they appeared totally 
unable to rise, the vessel almost running down numerous individuals as they flapped clumsily 
along the surface of the water trying to rise; the perfectly calm sea at the time apparently 
rendered the birds almost helpless. 
Mr. Ridgway suggests that the dark-colored birds seen at that time were the Slender-billed 
Fulmar, which may be the case, but if so it shows that these birds exist in large numbers in 
the North, although they have not been secured by the numerous naturalists who have visited 
that region. A number of these dark birds were also seen north of Bering Strait on two 
occasions, and should undoubtedly be referred to the same species as those seen in the vicinity 
of Ounalaska, of which unfortunately no specimens were secured. - 
PRIOCELLA TENUIROSTRIS (Aud.) Ridgw. 
(166.) SLENDER-BILLED FULMAR. 
There is but a single record of this bird’s capture on the coast of Alaska. This was at 
Kotzebue Sound, whence Mr. Dall secured a single skin during his explorations in the Territory. 
Several times during our cruising in the Aretic in the summer of 1881, a dark-colored Fulmar 
was seen in company with the common species and of about the same size. This may perhaps be 
