326 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [16] 



differeut kinds of sea birds was a matter of special interest to me, and 

 their appearance or absence was carefully noted, therefore it is probable 

 that a general idea may be formed, from a study of these notes, of the 

 seasons when jsegers are most abundant on the outer banks. 



October 1, 1878.— Latitute 43° 54' N., longitude 58° 32' W., "I shot a 

 hag and a marlingspike." 



October 3, 1878. — " I skinned a marUngspike this morning, a hag and 

 a gull. Later in the day I shot three gulls and two jaegers." 



October 4, 1878. — " Shot a black marliugspike to-day, and skinned 

 one of tbe more common varieties."* 



November 13, 1878.— On Le Have Eidges, latitude 42° 49' N., longitude 

 02° 55' W. " Skinned four birds — three gulls and (me jaeger." 



April 13, 1879. — East end of Banquereau, latitude 44° 39' N., longitude 

 57° 15' W. " I saw a jaeger or gull-chaser to-day, the first I have seen 

 since last fall." 



April 29, 1879.— Latitude 44o 28' N., longitude 57° 12' W. " Shot 

 three jaegers and one gull to-day. There has been quite a number of 

 jaegers around for the past few days." 



May 1, 1879. — Same position as above. " Shot two whiptails and 

 three marlingspikes this morning. 1 shot two jaegers in the afternoon; 

 saw several Bufibn's jaegers but did not get any." 



May 29, 1871'.— South of Sable Island, latitude 43° 36' K, longitude 

 590 47/ w. « I s]jot a hag at noon, and another later in the day; also, 

 a whiptail, marlingsijike, and mackerel gull-[tern.] " 



June 2, 1879.— Latitude 44° 30', longitude 57° 12' W. "Shot and 

 skinned an Arctic jaeger to-day." 



July 29, 1879.— Latitude 44° 14' N., longitude 58" 03' W. " I have 

 seen no noddies this trip, and jaegers only twice.t 



The time when jaegers are most numerous on the fishing-banks, as 

 may be seen by tlie foregoing notes, is in the sjiring, late summer, and 

 fall. They never approach the numbers of the hagdon ; sometimes, per- 

 haps, a hundred or more may be seen flying around a vessel when fish 

 ottal is being thrown out, but twenty-five or fifty birds of this genus are 

 about as many as are generally seen at one time. 



Whenever they are near they quickly detect the presence of food by 

 any accumulation of other birds, such as petrels or gulls. The gather- 

 ing of a flock of petrels, or the first scream of a kittiwake, struggling 

 for the possession of a piece of offal thrown over from a vessel, or pounc- 

 ing on a codfish liver cast out from a boat, brings the fierce jaeger to 

 the spot, sweeping down with tremendous speed and indescribable 

 raj)acity to rob the feebler birds of what they have obtained, and so 

 violent and persistent are its attacks that it frequently compels the 

 gulls to disgorge the contents of their stomachs in order that they may 

 escape the persecutions of this pirate of the air. So fearful are the kitti- 



* The position was tlie same for October 3d and 4th as that given for the Ist. 

 t We sailed from Gloucester, Mass, Juno 11), 



