CRUISE OF STEAMER CORWIN IN THE ARCTIC OCEAK 107 



LARUS MARINUS (Linn.) 



(1.50.) Great Black-backed Gull. 



Altlioiigh the present species has been recorded from the coast of Japan, there was no record 

 of its occurrence in Bering Sea or tlie adjoining portion of the Arctic until during the summer of 

 1880. During this season Captain C. L. Hooper, of the Corwia, secured a specimen at the Greater 

 Diomede Island, in Bering Strait, and the same season Dr. T. H. Bean, of the 2SrationaI Museum, 

 obtained a young bird at Chernooskie, on Ounalaska Island, making the only two records of this 

 bird's capture in Alaska, although Dr. Bean afterwards found it at Port Clarence, on the Alaskan 

 shore of Bering Strait, and saw numerous other specimens during his summer cruise. 



It is a little strange that tiiis conspicuous and well-marked bird should have escaped attention 

 so long in this part of its range, but it must be somewhat localized in its distribution here, since 

 during my residence at Saint Michael's I kept a continual lookout for rare species of Gulls, and 

 among the large numbers of these birds obtained and examined not a single individual could be 

 referred to this species. 



LARUS AFFINUS Reinh. 



(151.) The Siberian Gull. 



During the various visits made to the northwest Siberian coast by the Corwin in the season 

 of 1S81 these birds were found to be numerous at Plover Bay, and thence around the shore 

 through Bering Straits along the coast to the northwest, the last ones being seen in the vicinitj' 

 of Cape Serdze Kameii and Waukeram, just west of Koliuchui Bay. At all these places the bird 

 was common, and was quite frequently seen some miles off shore as we were passing along this 

 coast. It was not observed, however, on the American shore, where it is almost certain to occur, 

 altliougii tliere is no definite record of its presence there up to date. On June 2G, 1881, these gulls 

 were preparing to breed about the headlands of Plover Bay, and on the 29th of this same month 

 were found to be abundant off Cape Serdze Kamen, where they were evidently nesting or about 

 to prepare for this duty. 



LARUS CACHINNANS Pall. 



(152.) The Siberian Herring Gull. 



This Gull is occasionally observed about tlie Yukon mouth and about the entire coast of the 

 territory, although it is among the rarest of the larid;B to occur on the shore of Norton Sound 

 It is not known from the islands of Bering Sea, where it undoubtedly occurs. The record given 

 of Larm argentatiis by Mr. Dall in his paper on the birds of Alaska refers to this bird. He 

 records it as plentiful at Plover Bay, and it is a common species along this coast. Just what its 

 range is to the north of Bering Straits I have no data upon which to base an opinion. 



LARUS CACHINNANS Pall. 



(153.) Pallas's Herring Gull. 



Although this species is recorded from the northeast coast of Siberia, by Pallas, it was not 

 observed during the cruise of tlie Corwiu, but might easily have been overlooked from the 

 cursory manner of our survey there. The close similarity of the two shores of Bering Sea render 

 it extremely probable that any species of gull found in the vicinity of Bering Strait on either 

 shore is almost certain to be taken sooner or later upon the opposite coast. 



LARUS BRACHYRHYNCHUS Rich. 



(154.) Short-billed Gull. 



The present species of Gull is extremely abundant along the eastern coast of Bering Sea, from 

 the head of Norton Sound to tlie Peninsula of Aliaska. It was not observed on any of the Bering 



