34 NOTES ON THE KURIL ISLANDS. 



Not uncommon ; a few probably breed on the islands, for the 

 writer shot a specimen with fully developed egg inside. 

 (7G) Diomedea derogata, flesh-billed black albatross. 



(77) „ hr achy lira, Steller's albatross. 



(78) „ nigripes, Andobin's albatross. 



All these are common throughout the summer, but they do not 

 breed on the islands. 



(79) Fidmarus x>acificus, Pacific fulmar. This bird, which is 

 of a dark slate colour all over, is found in large numbers all along 

 the Kurils, but more particularly about the central islands. It 

 builds no nest, but lays its one white e,gg on the grassy tufts and 

 ledges of the cliffs. The egg is probably the best of all the sea- 

 fowls', and is equal to that of the domestic fowl in flavour. 

 Professor Elliott describes the fulmar of the Pribilov Islands 

 {F. glacialis Edgersi) as one of the earliest laying birds. The 

 fulmar of the Kurils is one of the latest laying birds, the first 

 eggs being found about June 15. They are not plentiful until a 

 week later. Gathering the eggs of this bird is not altogether 

 a pleasant operation. The fulmar has literally to be knocked ofl[' 

 her egg, and when climbing the cliffs for them — generally about 

 the time one's head is on a level with the settino- bird — she will 

 invariably eject, to a distance of one or two feet, a strong-smelling, 

 pungent, oily liquid, which bespatters one's clothes and face, often 

 getting into the eyes and causing considerable smarting. 



Fuhnaris glacialis rodgersi, fulmar. This fulmar, which is so 

 common in the Bering Sea, is comparatively rare on the Kurils. A 

 few are to be met with about the central and northern islands. 



(80) Procellaria leucorrhoa, Leach's petrel. 



(81) „ furcata, grey petrel. 



Both these petrels breed on the Kurils. They lay one pure 

 milk-white egg about the middle of June. They make no nest, 

 but deposit their egg beneath boulders and in crevices of the rocks 

 and cliffs, in company with the auks and pigeon guillemots. 

 (81^) P'li^nus griseiis, sooty shearwater. 

 (83) „ tenuirostris, slender-billed shearwater. 



The former is found about the southern islands, and the latter 

 about the northern more particularly. There are probably other 

 species also. Albatrosses and shearwaters, although common 

 throughout the summer in these latitudes, do not breed here. 



