CEUISE OF STEAMER CORWEST m THE ARCTIC OCEAN. H? 



BRACHYRHAMPHUS KITTLITZI Brandt. 



(187.) KiTTLiTz's Guillemot. 



This extremely rare bird was observed by me at Unalaska in the spring of 1877, where I 

 secured a single specimen in the breeding plumage. It was also taken towards the western end 

 of this chain by Mr. Turner a few years later, and with these two specimens ends the known 

 history of this species on these islands up to the present date. 



tTRIAGRYLLE (Linn.) Brunn. 



(188.) Black Guillemot. 



These birds occur throughout Bering Sea and are numerous. They extend their range also 

 well into the Arctic, reaching Herald and Wrangel Islands, and specimens were noted by the 

 naturalist of the Jeanuette, who records them in the vicinity of those islands, discovered during 

 the explorations made by the peojile of that vessel. 



In that portion of the Arctic north of the Atlantic the Black Guillemot is found breeding 

 north to 80° in some cases, although it is more numerous south of this. It was found nesting 

 with Briinnich's Guillemot in longitude 113o east by JS^ordeuskiold during his voyage. During 

 the drift of the Jeannette it was seen passing to the westward on May 1, 1880, and at various 

 other places was observed. Upon Bennett Island it was found nesting in great numbers the 20th 

 of July, 1880. On April P, 1881, it was fuuiul in about latitude 76°, longitude 1(51° east. During 

 its residence in these high latitudes it is reported to feed upon the small Arctic torn-cod, which 

 the naturalist of the Jeannette reports to have seen the bird kill by beating them ui)on the water 

 and shaking them in their bills. These birds were quite numerous at Herald Island. As we 

 approached through the ice on the 30th of July tlock after flock of them, joined with the Murre 

 came off towards the Corwin. When we were making a landing large numbers of them were seen 

 bringing fish, from three to four inches in length, to their young, and as the waters surrounding 

 this island were seen to swarm with crustaceans, there appeared to be an abundance of food. 



URIA COLUMBA (Pall.j Cass. 



(18;t.) Pigeon Guillemot. 



This is the most abundant of the small Guillemots throughout the North, from the Aleutian 

 Islands to those of Wrangel and Herald, where we found it breeding abundantly during our visit 

 there on the Corwin. We found it near Cape Serdze Kamen, where it was nesting, and also in 

 great abundance upon Qerald Island, where it was perhaps the most abundant bird present, far 

 outnumbering the Murre. It was also nesting upon East Cape, the Diomede Islands, and along 

 the entire portion of the Siberian coast wherever cliffs and mountainous slopes occurred fronting 

 the sea. None was observed on the western portion of the ¥ew Siberian Islands by Norden. 

 skiold, but the Chukchees reported it to him as wintering at Tapkau, wherever open water was 

 found during that season. 



LOMVIA TROILE CALIFORNICA (Bryant) Coues. 



(190.) California Guillemot. 



These birds are found along the Pacilic coast, reaching to the Aleutian Islands, beyond which 

 it is uncertain how far their range extends. They were not observed by us during the cruise of the 

 Corwin in the Arctic, although among the millions of Murres which breed upon the cliffs on the 

 shores of this sea, both north and south of Bering Strait, it is very probable they may occur. 



LOMVI ARRA (Pall.) Bp. 



(191.) Thick-billed Guillemot. 



This bird occurs in greatest abundance throughout Bering Sea and the adjoining portions ox 

 the Arctic, reaching Herald and Wrangel Islands, where we found it breeding by thousands. 



