CRUISE OF STEAMER CORWIN IX THE ARCTIC OCEAN. 101 



SOMATERIA V-NIGRA Gray. 



(135.) Pacific Eidkr. 



This species of Eider is foiiiid everywhere about the sliores and islands of P.erins: Sea, and 

 uests throughont nearly all this range. While at Sanakli Island, near the eastern end of the 

 Aleutian chain, the middle of May, 1877, considerable numbers of these birds were found upon 

 the outlying reefs and exposed rocks. They were then in decreased numbers, as we were told by the 

 residents that tliey visit tliis portion of tiie Territory in greatest abundance during the winter 

 season. As is well known, the nesting range of this bird extends from its highest r.ortliern point 

 south to the Farallon Islands, ott' San Francisco, and perhai)s still farther to the south. Jlr. Dall 

 reports them as wintering almndantly at Ouualaska and breeding in large numbers along the 

 western portion of the Aleutian chain during the summer. At Plover Bay, on the Siberian sliore, 

 June 36, 1881, a fevVpairs were seen, and again the first of July at East Cape, Siberia. It was 

 found .sparingly along the entire northeastern Siberian shoi'e from Plover P)ay around through 

 the Straits and nests nearly to Cape North. 



As previously mentioned, it was joined with tlie King Eider and Steller's Duck in the immense 

 flocks of these birds which were frequenting the estuary of the river near Cape Wankareni, but 

 the present species was very decidedly in the minority. A few of these birds were also found at 

 Point Barrow, Alaska, on August IG, 1881, and thence south along the coast they were found 

 much less numerous than the King Eider until Kotzebue Sound is reached ; and thence south 

 along the coast of Alaska the King Eider is replaced almost entirely during the summer by the 

 present species. 



The last of August, 1881, as we left Point Ho])e, Alaska, and were midway between that place 

 and Bering Strait, several of these Eiders passed us on their way South, showing that the autumnal 

 migration commences very early in tiie season with them. 



This species is said to l>e extremely abundant on the north coast of British America, 

 especially Ijetween the mouths of the Mackenzie and Coppermine Rivers, where it is said to occur 

 in greatest numbers. From the western limit of tliat portion of the Arctic bordering the Bering- 

 Strait region, west to Spitzbergeu and the North Atlantic, the common eider duck is found 

 replacing the Pacific Eider. On Spitzbergeu it nests in colonies, and the Walrus hunters of that 

 sea credit the females with stealing eggs from one another. The male bird is said to remain in 

 the vicinity and watches while the female sits upon the eggs, giving the alarm at the api>roach of 

 any danger. 



SOMATERIA SPECTABILIS (Linn) Boie. 



(136.) The King Eider. 



The King Eider is found in great abundance along the Aleutian Islands during winter, some 

 remaining to breed, and thence north in summer along the Siberian coast of Bering Sea and tiie 

 northeastern Arctic shore of Siberia. Although so numerous on the Siberian coast in summer, 

 yet on the Bering Sea coast of Alaska it is a very rare bird, occurring only as a straggler. 

 Among the large number of liiders secured by me during my residence at Saint Michael's not a 

 single individual of this bird was obtained, although it was well known to the natives aiul reported 

 by them as being seen occasionally while they were seal hunting far ofl' shore. After Bering Strait 

 is passed, however, following along the north Alaskan shore in the Arctic to Point P.arrow, the 

 King Eider is found to be voi\v abundant, becoming moi-e and more numerous the farther uortli 

 we reached, until along tiie stretch of coast between Icy Cape and Point P>arrow we found them 

 in large flocks in the summer of 1881. Oti'Cajje Serdze Kamen, Siberia, northwest of the Strait, 

 large numbers of these birds were seen on July !•, 1881, and they were again found at various 

 points along that coast where we touched. NordenskiiJld reports it as occurring at Spitzbergeu. 

 but as being more numerous on the shores of Nova Zemlya. 



August 11, 1881, as the Corwin was making her way towards Wrangel Island, a number of 

 these birds were seen sitting u[)on the ice, and remained gazing stupidly at the vessel until she 



