112 OEUISE OF STEAMER CORWIX IN THE ARCTIC OCEAN. 



FULMORUSGLACIALIS RODGERSI Cass.) Coues. 



(165.) Rodger's Fulmar. 



Tliis is ail extrijiuely abiiiiilaut bird ovev all tlie deepwati'.r portions of Ueriiijj Sea, cxtei'iiliiiji 

 into the Arctic Ocean to the vicinity of the ice pack. It rarely visits the eastern shore of the sea, 

 however, from tlie moutli of tlie Kuskoquini north to tiie heart of Norton Sound, the shallow and 

 muddy character of the water here apparently not being suitable for the presence of food upon 

 which this bird exists. On the western shore of the sea in the vicinity of Plover Bay and Saint 

 Lawrence Island, tlience north throngii Bering Strait, the bird was found in the greatest abundance 

 (luring the visit of the Corwin to that region. It was also abundant north i)eyond the Straits 

 along the Siberian shore. The shallow character of the water ob the American coast north of the 

 Straits had the same effect in not presenting suitable foraging ground for these wide-ranging 

 birds. 



Xordenskiold tells us that the common Fulmar, which is flic North Atlantic representative of 

 the bird under consideration at present, is much more common on Bear Island and Spitzbergeu 

 than it is upon Nova Zenilya. It breeds abundantly on Bear Island on some of tlie sloping clift's 

 not diflicult of access. One (;a.se is mentioned where on May 2(5, l<S7(i, the eggs were seen deposited 

 directly upon the bare ice which covered the rocks at the time. In one place a bird was found 

 frozen fast by one leg as it sat upon the eggs, in August, 1.5it(i, as re<'.orded by one of the old Dutch 

 expeditions which touche<I that coast. On the northern part of Nova Zeinlya, Barents found some 

 Fulmars nesting upon a piece of ice covered with a little earth. In both of these cases the 

 underpart of the egg during hatching could not be warmed above the tVeezing point. 



During the crui.se of the Corwin in Bering Sea and the Arctic, it was ob.served that on some 

 days Rydgeis Fulmars would be seen in large numbers; and again in jtassing over the same 

 area not a .single individual would be noticed. These birds breed on the precii>itous islands of 

 Bering Sea, and I am inclined to think some nest upon Herald Island in the Arctic Ocean. 

 Although in our hasty visit to that island none were seen, yet the clift's on the side opposite our 

 landing were eminently suitable for nesting places .such as these birds delight to choose, and the 

 abundance of tlie bird up to within a comparatively short distancie of this land, rendered the 

 supposition probable. Elliot found them breeding in greatest abundance upon the fur-seal islands, 

 where he secured their eggs. 



As we ai)proaclied the harbor of Oiinalaska on Se[ttember 22, 1.S81, hundreds of these birds 

 were seen in the ordinary light-colored plumage, which were in company with abont an equal 

 number of birds either of the same species or a closely related one of exactly the same size, 

 • which were clad in a sooty-brown or blackish -brown plumage. Both birds were sitting in the 

 water in immense flocks, covering acres, and as we steamed among them they ajipeared totally 

 unable to rise, the vessel almost running down numerous individuals as they flapped clumsily 

 along the surface of the water trying to rise: the perfectly calm sea at the time apparently 

 rendered the birds almost helpless. 



Mr. Ridgway suggests that the dark-colored birds seen at tiiat time were the Slender-billed 

 Fulmar, which may be the case, but if so it shows that these birds exist in large numbers in 

 the North, altiiough they have not been secured by the numerous naturalists who have visited 

 that region. A number of these dark birds were also seen north of Bering Strait on two 

 occasions, and should iindoubteilly be referred to the same species as those seen in the vicinity 

 ot Ounalaska, of which unfortunately no specimens were secured. 



PRIOCELLA TENUIROSTRIS (Aud. ) Ridgw. 



(IGG.) Slender-billed Fxtlmar. 



There is but a single record of this bird's capture on the coast of Alaska. This was at 

 Kotzebue Sound, whence Mr. Dall secured a single skin during his explorations in the Territory. 

 Several times during our cruising in the Arctic in the summer of 1881, a dark-colorerl Fulmar 

 was seen in company with the common species and of about the same size. This may perhaps be 



