KAMTSCHATKA. • 309 



breeding season to its southern home. The alba- 

 tross builds its nest of feathers on the highest sum- 

 mits of the Aleutian islands, namely, on Umnack 

 and Tschatirech Sobpotschnie ostroff, (the Island 

 of the Four Peaks.) It lays two very large eggs, 

 of a blueish colour, and hatches in the summer 

 season. The black variety mentioned by authors 

 is the young one. The Aleutians ascend these 

 summits towards August, and take the eggs from 

 the nest ; they also throw darts, made for the pur- 

 pose, at the sitting birds, and are particularly eager 

 after their fat, with which they abound at this 

 season. 



Not a single animal of the class of Amphibia 

 appears either at Oonalashka or the Aleutian 

 islands. 



Among the insects, the beetle is predominant ; 

 and among these the CarabuSy of which Dr. Esch- 

 scholtz counted sixteen kinds, many of which are 

 not hitherto described. Several water-beetles 

 animate the lakes and standing water. It might 

 perhaps be in vain to look for them more to the 

 north. 



The common northern large Maja (Lithodes 

 arctica, Lat.) is distinguished among the crabs, and 

 is particularly excellent for food. 



We refer to Pallas and other authors with re- 

 spect to the fish, on the constant and innumerable 

 swarms of which the subsistence of the people of 



X 3 



