32 NOTES ON TEE KURIL ISLANDS. 



(85) J. nets i^eneZo^je, widgeon. 



(36) „ acuta, pintail duck. 



(37) „ crecca, teal. 



(39) „ falcata, falcated teal. 



(42) „ strepera, gadwall duck. 



(43) F'ldigula marila, scaup duck. 



(45) Fuligula cristata, tufted duck. On the Southern Kurils 

 and Shikotan. 



(48) Fuligula histrionica, harlequin duck. Abundant along 

 all the Kurils, where it breeds. The writer has not been able to 

 find the eggs, but in June, 1888, captured a female with several 

 young ones, which were but a day or two old. In August these 

 ducks assemble in flocks of many hundreds. They are fond of 

 basking on the rocks along the shore. When inland up the streams 

 they are nearly always seen in pairs, but when on the sea they are 

 invariably found in flocks. 



(50) Fuligida glacialis, long- tailed duck. This duck is very 

 plentiful in early spring, when it is found to be making its way 

 northwards to its breeding-grounds in the Arctic. An occasional 

 straggler gets left behind, and is seen on the islands in the 

 summer. 



(52) Fidigata fusca, velvet scoter. 



(53) Fidigata americana, American scoter. A few breed on the 

 northern islands. 



(51) Somatcria stellerl, Steller's western duck. Occasionally 

 found on the islands during winter. 



Somatcria v-nigra (?), Pacific eider. A few of these have 

 been seen about the most northern islands in early spring. 



(55) Mcrgus castor, goosander. 



(56) Mergus serrator, merganser. Both these breed on the 

 Kurils. Obtained on Yetorup in winter. 



(58) Phalacrocorax pelagicus, resplendent shag. 



(59) Phalacrocorax hicridatus, barefaced shag. 

 Phalacrocorax (?), shag. 



The shags are the first sea-birds to commence laying. Eggs 

 obtained on the 15th of May. They are very small for the size 

 of the bird, of a long oval shape, chalky white, with a slight 

 bluish tinse. Five or six is the usual number laid. Some of the 

 shags remain about the islands throughout the winter, but the 



