NO. 4] THE FIRST SUMMER IN THE 'ICE. 23 



Although the arctic black guillemot, like its congener on the continent, 

 must, on the whole, be considered a littoral form, it here appeared that in the 

 summer, these birds (probably the younger, immature ones) distributed them- 

 selves over the Arctic Ocean, at considerable distances from the nearest land. 

 Further confirmation of this fact was obtained north of Spitsbergen, during 

 the return voyage of the 'Fram'. 



? Alle alle, (Lin.) 1766. 



On June 26th, 1894, Mogstad and Jacobsen observed a small sea-bird, 

 belonging to this, or the previous species, flying over the ship in a north- 

 westerly direction. As it was at a considerable height, it was taken to be 

 a little auk, and not a black guillemot (81 37' N. Lat., 121 E. Long.). 



This may possibly have been a stray specimen, as no more of this 

 species, nor of the larger Alcidce, were observed. Breeding-cliffs and colonies 

 of Alcidce did not therefore seem to occur in the region traversed by the 

 'Fram' that summer. 



