138 LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN DIVING BIRDS 



retains the black throat, more or less mixed with white; it also 

 generally has some of the white plumes on the head, neck, or shoul- 

 ders, which are sometimes quite conspicuous, but not so highly 

 developed as in the spring; these are entirely absent in the young 

 bird. These adornments are probably most highly developed in the 

 oldest birds. The name "old man" and the Russian name "Starik," 

 which means old man, as well as the scientific names antiquus and 

 senicula, are supposed to have been derived from the fancied resem- 

 blance of these white plumes to the snowy locks of old age. 



Food. The food of the ancient murrelet consists of various kinds 

 of small marine invertebrates, which it obtains mainly by diving, 

 although much of its food must be obtained on or near the surface, 

 for it spends much of its lifetime on the open ocean, where the 

 water is from one to two thousand fathoms deep. Most of the 

 murrelets and auklets have similar feeding habits and probably find 

 an abundant supply of small invertebrates swimming a few feet or 

 perhaps a few fathoms below the surface of the warm water of the 

 North Pacific. Mr. Littlejohn gives the following account of its 

 peculiar feeding habits while following a vessel: 



We were about 180 miles east by south from Unga (a small island south of 

 Sand Point on the Alaska Peninsula, in about latitude 55, longitude 160) 

 when this hardy bird was first seen. They were usually in twos and threes and 

 scattered among large flocks of crested auklets (Simorhynchus cristatellus) . 

 One would think at first they were amusing themselves by flying a short dis- 

 tance ahead of the ship, dropping into the water and swimming in, so as to be 

 near the bow as the vessel passed, thus diving beneath the hull and coming up 

 again just under the stern. After they had dropped astern a few hundred feet 

 they took wing and repeated this maneuver with unvarying precision through- 

 out the entire day. By close watching I found that it was not for pleasure 

 they did this, but that they were feeding on small invertebrates, such as are 

 found on ships' bottoms. At such times they are very unwary and can be easily 

 taken with a dip net alongside of the vessel, as can also the crested auklet, the 

 latter on the wing while flying in circles about the vessel. From the time the 

 first were seen until land was sighted there were always some about, but as we 

 neared the land or got on soundings they became more plentiful and did not 

 follow the ship any farther, owing, most likely, to food becoming more abundant. 



Behavior. The flight of the ancient murrelet is swift and direct, 

 usually close to the surface of the water, and not usually much pro- 

 longed. Its migrations are not extended and are usually performed 

 in a leisurely manner, with frequent stops as it gradually drifts 

 northward. I have never seen this species make a long flight; it rises 

 readily from the surface, skims away close to the water for a short 

 distance, and soon drops in again. It is a rapid swimmer and makes 

 a very neat appearance in the water; the striking color contrasts in 

 its plumage, the blue-gray back, the black throat, the white head 

 plumes, and the white bill are all very conspicuous and good field 

 marks. We usually saw them in small parties of from four to six 



