RHINOCEROS AUKLET 109 



they account good eating. Having first selected a populous neighborhood, they 

 thrust grass into a set of contiguous burrows, pressing it in to arm's length 

 for the purpose of detaining the returning bird later in the evening. At 9 

 o'clock or such a matter they post themselves in the gathering gloom to watch 

 their traps, secreting themselves, if need be, in the bushes. The colony is 

 silent now, but presently there is a sudden whirr of wings, a dark object 

 strikes the bank and disappears. Instantly the watchful native closes the 

 entrance of the burrow and seizes the confused auklet from behind. It is 

 creepy business, and not less so now that the whole scene is lighted up by 

 the accusingly benignant eye of the lighthouse. However, one may be pardoned 

 a strictly psychological study, even in the robbing of a henroost. 



Winter. As soon as the breeding season is over the hosts of auk- 

 lets leave their underground burrows, their mysterious nocturnal 

 visits cease, and they scatter out over the ocean, where they spend 

 the winter in the pursuit of happiness and the search for food. They 

 are widely scattered at this season and seem to prefer a solitary 

 existence. 



DISTRIBUTION 



Breeding range. Coasts and islands of the North Pacific. From 

 Washington (Destruction Island) north to southern Alaska (For- 

 rester Island, St. Lazaria Island, and Egg Island, 200 miles west of 

 Fort Wrangell) and west to the Aleutian Islands (Atka, Agattu, and 

 Umnak Islands), the Kurile Islands and northern Japan (Yezo). 

 Said to have formerly bred on the Farallones. 



Winter range. The open sea from Washington (Pacific coast, 

 rare in Puget Sound) south to California (Farallones to San Diego) 

 and rarely Lower California (San Geronimo Island and Cerros 

 Island) . In Asia winters south to southern Japan. 



Spring migration. Northward in April and May. Birds remain 

 along the coast of California until early May (latest June 2), but 

 the first arrivals on the breeding grounds at Destruction Island, 

 Washington, are often seen during April. Specimens were noted in 

 southeastern Alaska (Kuiu Island) May 18. 



Fall migration. Takes place in September and October. Birds 

 have been noted at Point Pinos, California, September 27, and com- 

 mon by October 14. A bird, evidently a migrant, was taken on 

 Puget Sound (Tacoma) September 21, and specimens were taken 

 at Departure Bay, British Columbia, from September 23 to No- 

 vember 2. 



Egg dates. Southern Alaska: 22 records, May 10 to June 22; 

 11 records, June 9 to 20. Washington: 10 records, April 21 to June 

 18; 5 records, April 24 to June 13. 



