116 CRUISE OF STEAMER CORWDf IN THE ARCTIC OCEAN. 



the water there. They were extremely numerous here, as well as aU along this portion of the coast. 

 Their oddly shaped bill is well adapted for capturing the minute Crustacea with which the waters 

 abound in this region, though it would not answer the puri)ose for opening bivalves, as suggested 

 by some of the older authors. Early in July it was found nesting upon the Diomede Islands, and 

 its eggs were secured. It lays but a single one, which is white and about the size of that of a 

 pigeon. 



SIMORHYNCHUS CRISTATELLUS (Pall.j Merron. 



(181.) Crested Auk. 



Like the preceding species, this bird is extremely numerous in Bering Sea, but like the latter 

 prefers those portions of the sea in which the water is very deep and cold. Hence along the 

 Alaskan shore the birds are rare, but upon the Aleutian Islands and the fur-seal group, the 

 Diomedes, in Bering Strait, and the Asiatic shore north through the Straits they are very numerous, 

 swarming like bees around a hive over the steep rocky islands which are found in these waters. 

 Several of these birds were seen in the vicinity of Herald Island during our visit there, but they 

 appeared to be very rare, as compared with the Guillemots and Murres. At Wrangel Island 

 also, on August 11 and 12, others were seen, but only two or three individuals iu all. 



SIMORHYNCHUS PYGM^US (Gmel.j Ridgw. 



(182.) Whiskered Auk. 



These birds arc found along tlie Aleutian chain, but are not known Iroin the islands to the 

 north of that, and were not observed by us during the cruise of the Corwiu. The habits and 

 distribution of this species are little known, and it did not fall under my observation during the 

 time of my residence at Saint Michael's nor ui)on either of my visits to the Aleutian Islands. 



CICERONIA PUSILLA (Pall.) Ridgw. 



(183.) Least Auk. 



These birds are extremely abundant, breeding by millions along the Aleutian chain and upon 

 all the other islands of Bering Sea, thence north to Bering Strait, occurring rarely, however, upon 

 the American mainland coast, but found very commonly along the Siberian shore. A pair were 

 seen August 15 oft' Icy Capo, on the Arctic coast of Alaska, which is tlie farthest northern record 

 known of this small species. A few were seen off Cape Serdze Kamen on June 29, 1881, and these 

 two records are all we have of their presence in the Arctic. 



PTYCORHAMPHUS ALEUTICUS (Pall.) Brandt. 



(184.) Cassin's Auk. 



This is another species occurring on the Aleutian Islands, which, however, was not noted by 

 us during the cruise of the Corwin, and whose range does not extend far, if any, into Bering Sea 

 beyond the immediate vicinity of these islands. 



SYNTHLIBORHAMPHUS ANTIGUUS (Gm.j Coues. 



(185.) Black-throated Guillemot. 



This is also a species occurring in the Aleutian Islands, which did not fall under our notice, 

 occurring, however, more or less commonly there. 



BRACHYRHAMPHUS MARMORATUS (Gm) Brandt. 



(186.) Marbled Guillemot. 



This is an extremely abundant species throughout the Aleutian Islands, where it breeds and 

 extends its range northward along the west coast of Bering Sea to Bering Strait. It was found 

 very numerous during our visits to I'lover Bay, and thence along the shore to the Straits; but 

 was not observed to the north of this latter point. 



