These small crustaceans, less than a quarter of an inch in length, are 

 amazingly abundant in Alaskan waters, and, as a never-failing food- 

 supply, account for the surprising abundance of auklets of all kinds. 



The native Aleuts eat auklets, just as they do most other kinds of 

 sea-birds, and capture them with nets that are like a large dip-net with 

 a long handle. The native hunter conceals himself at some point near 

 the beach or bluffs over which the birds are accustomed to fly close. 

 When a flock approaches the net is swung upward, and a skillful native 

 has little difficulty in catching two or three birds out of each flock that 

 passes. The Aleut people are true children of nature, and the greater 

 part of their food consists of the fishes, seals, and sea-birds found 

 along their shores. The misty and often stormy shores would be deso- 

 late indeed without the lively presence of auklets ; and we cannot help 

 wishing that they abounded in more southern latitudes, where their 

 charming ways could be better known. Some of nature's finest ex- 

 hibitions of bird-life, however, are arranged without reference to civil- 

 ized spectators. 



The crested auklets arrive at the Pribilofs in May, and remain un- 

 til the winter ice begins to invest the islands, when they go farther 

 south. They are noisy in the breeding-season about their nests, but 

 are rather silent at other times. 



While they take alarm and leave the cliffs when closely approach- 

 ed, they have more confidence when on the water, and do not readily 

 dive or take flight except to make way for the boat. About islands 

 where they are not specially abundant they may yet be as thick as 

 bees about some particular cliff, long rows of them standing lined up 

 on the rock-ledges, while others are coming and going. Sometimes 

 we saw them far off shore in flocks hundreds of yards in extent. 

 They are a plump, well-fed race, and appear to have plenty of time 

 for play, both in the air and on the water. 



The crested auklet is a very distinct species, distinguished by its 

 much larger size from its nearest relatives, the whiskered and the 

 least auklets ; and by the differently shaped bill, and the presence of 

 a recurved crest, from the paroquet auklet. Moreover, the under- 

 parts are entirely dark in the crested auklet, but largely white in the 

 other three species. 



Males and females are alike in plumage, which is sooty black 

 above, and brownish beneath ; but this obscure coloring is relieved 

 by the lively crest, the bright red of the beak, and the white, plume- 

 like feathers which extend downward and backward from the eye. 



55 



