276 rROCEEDINOS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol.xxi. 



The Seebolim collection contains a specimen by Snow from Shiash- 

 kotan in June. ^ 



I noted it on all the islands of the middle Kurils visited by me in 

 August, 1S9(J. 



17. LARUS SCHISTISAGUS Stejneger. 70. 



Seebohm was right in referring the so- called Larus marinus from the 

 Kuril islands, collected by Snow, to the present species, ^ but is wrong 

 in referring to them as a subspec-ies of the former. L. schistisagus is 

 nearer related to L. argentatus than to L. marinus. 



The slate backed gull, which I originally described from Kamchatka, 

 is the commonest breeding gull on the Kurils, with the exception of the 

 kittiwake. I found it on all the islands visited by me in August, 1896, 

 and secured a fine specimen on Raikoke August 23. Total length, 655 

 mm. ; wings beyond tail (both worn), 32 mm. ; weight, 4^ pounds. Fresh 

 colors: Iris pale straw color; bill yellow, with a crimson spot on mandi- 

 ble near gonys ; gape whitish flesh color; naked eye ring purplish gray; 

 feet flesh color, webs darker pink. Fifth primary molting in both 

 wings; pinfeathers all over the body. 



The gull called Great Gull, Ounemas by the Kurilians, referred to 

 by Pallas under Larus cachiiinans, is probably the present species, and 

 so is probably also Snow's Larus glaucus.^ 



18. LARUS CANUS Linnaeus. 69. 



Seebohm says that this species probably breeds on the Kuril islands.* 



? LARUS BRACHYRHYNCHUS Richardson. 



An adult specimen is enumerated by Saunders as in the British 

 Museum from Kuril islands ? February (H. J. Snow), from the See- 

 bohm collection. Locality probably incorrect if really this species. 



Larus glauceseens Naumann, L. glaucus Briinnich, and Larus vegae 

 (Palmen), being northern species, wintering more or less common in 

 Japan, probably occur on the Kurils during migration, but no authentic 

 specimens are on record so far as I am aware. 



19. RISSA TRIDACTYLA POLLICARIS Stejneger. 74. 



A common breeding bird all over the Kuril chain. I found it numer- 

 ous on the Mushir Kocks, Raikoke, and the Ushishirs between August 

 22 and 25, 1896, and Snow obtained specimens at Rashau in June.^ The 

 Kurilians called it Kiruga or Keroo, according to Pallas.'' Snow says 

 that they begin to lay about June 10." 



' B. Jap. Emp., p. 281. ^B. Jap. Emp., p. 294. 



"Idem, p. 291. "Seebohm, B. Jap. Emp., p. 294. 



3 Notes Kuril Isl., 1896, p. 33. ^Zoogr., II, p. 321. 



