﻿278 
  PROCEEDINGS 
  OF 
  THE 
  CALIFORNIA 
  

  

  31. 
  Thahmidroma 
  Leachii, 
  Temm. 
  (642). 
  Petrel. 
  

  

  This 
  species, 
  not 
  noticed 
  east 
  of 
  Amchitka, 
  breeds 
  abundant^y 
  on 
  the 
  rocky 
  

   islets 
  off 
  Attu, 
  and 
  on 
  the 
  highlands 
  of 
  Kyska 
  and 
  Amchitka. 
  As 
  in 
  the 
  next 
  

   species, 
  the 
  male 
  seems 
  to 
  do 
  a 
  large 
  proportion 
  of 
  the 
  incubation, 
  and, 
  as 
  a 
  rule, 
  

   they 
  lay 
  only 
  one 
  small, 
  white 
  egg, 
  in 
  a 
  burrow 
  from 
  six 
  inches 
  to 
  a 
  foot 
  ia 
  

   horizontal 
  length. 
  This 
  burrow 
  is 
  often 
  curved 
  considerably 
  to 
  one 
  side 
  , 
  and 
  I 
  

   have 
  never 
  seen 
  one 
  absolutely 
  straight. 
  The 
  burrow 
  is 
  usually 
  in 
  the 
  side 
  of 
  a 
  

   turfy 
  bank. 
  This, 
  and 
  the 
  next 
  species, 
  have 
  the 
  habit, 
  when 
  handled, 
  of 
  disgorg- 
  

   ing 
  a 
  reddish, 
  oily 
  fluid, 
  of 
  strong 
  and 
  disagreeable 
  musky 
  smell 
  ; 
  and 
  one 
  can 
  

   tell, 
  by 
  the 
  odor 
  of 
  the 
  burrow 
  alone, 
  whether 
  it 
  is 
  tenanted 
  by 
  a 
  petrel, 
  or 
  one 
  

   of 
  the 
  Alddm. 
  From 
  this 
  habit, 
  the 
  petrels 
  (of 
  which 
  species 
  I 
  am 
  not 
  certain, 
  

   but 
  think 
  it 
  to 
  be 
  this 
  one) 
  which 
  breed 
  off 
  the 
  coast 
  of 
  Mendocino 
  County, 
  

   California, 
  have 
  received 
  there 
  the 
  name 
  of 
  " 
  Musk 
  Birds." 
  While 
  breeding, 
  

   they 
  are 
  largely 
  nocturnal 
  in 
  their 
  habits. 
  We 
  found 
  fresh 
  eggs 
  from 
  June 
  

   10th 
  to 
  the 
  end 
  of 
  July. 
  The 
  eye 
  of 
  both 
  these 
  petrels 
  is 
  of 
  a 
  dark 
  brown, 
  almost 
  

   black 
  after 
  death. 
  The 
  specimens 
  from 
  the 
  islands 
  are 
  darker 
  than 
  those 
  from 
  

   Sitka. 
  They 
  can 
  be 
  considered 
  as 
  summer 
  residents, 
  going 
  south 
  in 
  winter, 
  

   and 
  arriving 
  at 
  the 
  islands 
  in 
  May. 
  

  

  32. 
  Thalassidromaf 
  areata, 
  Gld. 
  (643). 
  Gray 
  Petrel. 
  

  

  The 
  remarks 
  under 
  the 
  head 
  of 
  the 
  last 
  species 
  will 
  generally 
  apply 
  to 
  this 
  

   one 
  also, 
  but 
  it 
  is 
  found 
  breeding 
  on 
  all 
  the 
  less 
  populated 
  islands, 
  as 
  far 
  east 
  as 
  

   Unalashka. 
  Unlike 
  the 
  reported 
  habits 
  of 
  the 
  North 
  Atlantic 
  petrels, 
  they 
  are 
  

   never 
  seen 
  in 
  stormy 
  weather 
  at 
  sea 
  ; 
  nor 
  do 
  they 
  ever 
  follow 
  in 
  a 
  vessel's 
  

   wake, 
  as 
  far 
  as 
  my 
  observations 
  go. 
  They 
  are 
  occasionally 
  seen 
  flying 
  about 
  in 
  

   calm, 
  fine 
  weather, 
  throughout 
  the 
  North 
  Pacific. 
  

  

  33. 
  Lestris 
  parasiticus, 
  Temm. 
  (654:). 
  Skua. 
  

  

  These 
  birds 
  were 
  obtained 
  in 
  the 
  breeding 
  season 
  at 
  Kyska 
  and 
  Amchitka, 
  

   .and 
  in 
  winter 
  at 
  Unalashka, 
  rarely. 
  They 
  are 
  nowhere 
  common 
  ; 
  nor 
  have 
  we 
  

   ever 
  obtained 
  any 
  in 
  completely 
  adult 
  plumage. 
  All 
  our 
  specimens 
  are 
  of 
  a 
  

   nearly 
  uniform 
  dark 
  slate 
  color. 
  They 
  are 
  probably 
  residents. 
  The 
  eye 
  is 
  

   nearly 
  black. 
  

  

  34. 
  Larus 
  [iilaucescens, 
  Licht. 
  (557). 
  Glaucous 
  Gull. 
  

  

  The 
  common 
  and 
  only 
  gull 
  of 
  the 
  islands 
  ; 
  resident 
  throughout 
  the 
  chain, 
  but 
  

   more 
  abundant 
  to 
  the 
  eastward. 
  Breeds 
  in 
  May 
  and 
  June. 
  We 
  obtained 
  

   nearly 
  fledged 
  young 
  at 
  Kyska, 
  early 
  in 
  July. 
  The 
  eye 
  is 
  of 
  a 
  lighter 
  or 
  a 
  

   darker 
  steel 
  gray. 
  

  

  35. 
  Rissa 
  tridadyla, 
  Bon. 
  (672). 
  Kittiwake. 
  

  

  Rare 
  in 
  the 
  western 
  islands, 
  not 
  venturing 
  into 
  the 
  protected 
  bays 
  and 
  harbors 
  

   much, 
  but 
  apparently 
  a 
  resident. 
  No 
  other 
  species 
  of 
  kittiwake 
  was 
  observed 
  

   west 
  of 
  Unalashka. 
  

  

  