These small crustaceans, less than a quarter of an inch in length, are 
amazingly abundant in Alaskan waters, and, as a never-failing food- 
supply, account for the surprising abundance of auklets of all kinds. 
The native Aleuts eat auklets, just as they do most other kinds of 
sea-birds, and capture them with nets that are like a large dip-net with 
a long handle. The native hunter conceals himself at some point near 
the beach or bluffs over which the birds are accustomed to fly close. 
When a flock approaches the net is swung upward, and a skillful native 
has little difficulty in catching two or three birds out of each flock that 
passes. The Aleut people are true children of nature, and the greater 
part of their food consists of the fishes, seals, and sea-birds found 
along their shores. The misty and often stormy shores would be deso¬ 
late indeed without the lively presence of auklets; and we cannot help 
wishing that they abounded in more southern latitudes, where their 
charming ways could be better known. Some of nature’s finest ex¬ 
hibitions of bird-life, however, are arranged without reference to civil¬ 
ized spectators. 
The crested auklets arrive at the Pribilofs in May, and remain un¬ 
til the winter ice begins to invest the islands, when they go farther 
south. They are noisy in the breeding-season about their nests, but 
are rather silent at other times. 
While they take alarm and leave the cliffs when closely approach¬ 
ed, they have more confidence when on the water, and do not readily 
dive or take flight except to make way for the boat. About islands 
where they are not specially abundant they may yet be as thick as 
bees about some particular cliff, long rows of them standing lined up 
on the rock-ledges, while others are coming and going. Sometimes 
we saw them far off shore in flocks hundreds of yards in extent. 
They are a plump, well-fed race, and appear to have plenty of time 
for play, both in the air and on the water. 
The crested auklet is a very distinct species, distinguished by its 
much larger size from its nearest relatives, the whiskered and the 
least auklets; and by the differently shaped bill, and the presence of 
a recurved crest, from the paroquet auklet. Moreover, the under¬ 
parts are entirely dark in the crested auklet, but largely white in the 
other three species. 
Males and females are alike in plumage, which is sooty black 
above, and brownish beneath ; but this obscure coloring is relieved 
by the lively crest, the bright red of the beak, and the white, plume¬ 
like feathers which extend downward and backward from the eye. 
55 
