The terrestrial mammals and birds of North-East Greenland. 123 



In the stomachs of killed Fulmars I found always mainly jaws 

 of cuttle-fish, in some of them also remnants of smaller crustaceans. 



The question regarding the existence of a pale and a dark form 

 of the Fulmar and the geographical distribution of these as well as 

 the difference between them, has, so far as I know, received little 

 answer. I therefore think, that the observations regarding these 

 points, which have been undertaken by myself and my companions 

 on the northward voyage may be of interest. 



I shall first relate what my companions have noted down by 

 Mallemukfjeldet and the environments of this and must state, 

 that before these gentlemen departed, I pointed out to them what 

 special informations I wanted about birds observed, and that they 

 with regard to the Fulmar ought to note the total number and the 

 proportion between pale and dark individuals. 



April 17'h 1907. Lat. 79° 45' n. 5 or 6 Fulmars were observed, 

 they were all dark. Only few open spots in the ice. 



Koch and Bertelsen. 



April 20'h 1907. Mallemukfjeldet lat. 80" 12' n. The Fulmars 

 Avere present in greater numbers — by hundreds but not by 

 thousands; they settled high up on the rock at the nesting-places. 

 Birds, which flew out, always flew (in an eastern direction) towards 

 the open water. By far the most birds were dark. 



Koch and Bertelsen. 



Koch and Bertelsen report further from the voyage back to 

 the ship : 



June 8th & 9th lat. 80°23'n. "In the open water along the shore 

 were many Fulmars. Dark birds". 



June 9th & lOth lat. 80° 20' to 80° 10' n. "Fulmars in great num- 

 bers, much greater than on the voyage upwards. Still almost ex- 

 clusively dark birds". 



(Dr. Lindhard and G. Thostrup arrived at Mallemukfjeldet 

 October 15th 1907; they stayed here for three days; though there 

 was much open water near the mountain, the Fulmars had quite 

 disappeared.) 



My own notes concerning the colour of the Fulmars observed 

 on the voyage outwards, when this species appeared at first — a 

 little North of the Shetland Islands — till we anchored by Кар 

 Bismarck are the following: 



July 9th 1906. Lat. eril'n. long. 1° 18' w. Fulmarus glacialis 

 appeared for the first time. But 3 to 4 birds were seen at one time 

 all vere pronounced pale. 



