132 THE FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 



early as the 1st of June, is the only rival that the cormorant lias with reference to early incubation. It never flies in 

 flocks ; it pairs eai'ly, and is then exceedingly quiet. I have never heard it utter a souud, save a low, droning croak 

 when disgorging food for its young. The chick comes out a perfect puff-ball of white down, and gains its first 

 plumage in about six weeks. It is a dull, gray-black at first, but by the end of the season it becomes like the parents 

 in coloration, only much darker ou the back and scapularies. They are the least edible, with the exception of the 

 cormorant, of all bird-food found about the islands ; and, like others of their family, they vomit up the putrid 

 contents of their stomachs at the slightest provocation. 



26. Stercorarius pomatorhinua. Pomarise Jager; " Raz-boi-nik." 



This bird is a rare visitor, aud is the ouly specimen which I procured, and was the sole representative seen on 

 the islands of its class. I found it perched in a listless attitude ou the high mossy uplands between Kammiuista 

 aud Polavina Sopka. 



27. stercorarius parasiticus. Parasitk; Jager. 



I have seen but a few of these birds, also ; the four or five examples of this species, in my collection, were all 

 that I sighted, therefore it may be rated as an infrequent visitor; it seems to be tired out, and is found jipon the 

 grassy uplands, where it will alight and stand dozing in an indolent attitude tor hours. The natives say that it is 

 fond of the berries of the Empctrnni, and in confirmation of their statement I found the half digested remains of this 

 fruit therein. No one of the three species of Stercorarius, which I have in my hands, was observed to breed here. 



28. stercorarius Buffcni. Loxg-tailed Jageu. 



Also seldom seen, and the specimen in my collection is one of the only two I ever observed on the islands. 

 When I discovered them, July 29, 1872, they were aiiparently feeding upon insects and the fruit of the Empetrum 

 nigrum. 



29. Larus glaucus. Burgomaster: " Cuikie." 



This large, handsome gull, the finest of its race, is restricted in its breeding to Walrus islet alone; although it 

 comes sailing over aud around all the islands, in easy, graceful flight, every hour of tlie day, and frequently late in 

 the fall will settle down by hundreds upon the carcasses of the killing-grounds. But, at Walrus islet this bird is 

 at home, and here lays its eggs in neat nests built of seaferns and dry grass, placed among the turfy tussocks ou 

 the center of the islet. No foxes are found there. It remains by the Pribylov islands during the whole season, 

 though it is sometimes driven by the ice in search of open water, fifty to one hundred miles south; it invariably 

 returns soon after the floe disapjiears. 



The "chikie" lays as early as the 1st to the 4th of June, depositing three eg*?s only, within a week or ten 

 days. These eggs are large, spherically oval, have a dark, grayish-brown ground, with irregular patches of darker 

 brown-black. They vary somewhat in size, but the shape and pattern of coloring is more constant than in any 

 other species up here. 



The young burgomaster conies from the shell at the expiration of the regular three weeks' incubation, wearing a 

 jiure white thick coat of flufly down, which is speedily supplanted by a brownish-black and gray plumage with 

 which the bird takes flight, having nearly attained the size of the parent in less than six aggregate weeks. This 

 dark coat changes during the next three months to one nearly white, with the lavender gray back of the adult; the 

 legs change from a sickly, pale, grayish tone, to the rich yellow-gray of the mature condition, and the bill akso 

 passes from a dull brown color to a bright yellow, with a red spot at the top of the lower mandible. It has a loud, 

 shrill, eagie-like scream, becoming more monotonous by its repetition ; and it also utters a low, chattering croak 

 while coasting. It is a very cleanly bird about its nest, and keeps its plumage in a condition of snowy purity. It 

 is not very numerous; I do not think that there were more than five or six hundred nesting on Walrus islet at the 

 time of my visit in 1872. 



30. Larus tridactylus var. Kotzebui. Pacific Kittiwake; "Chorxie-nau.shkie goverooskie." 



This gull breeds here, by tens of thousands, in company with its first cousin, Larus hrevirostris, coming at the same 

 time but laying a week or ten days earlier than its relative. In all other respects it corresponds in habit and is in 

 just about the same number. It is a remarkably constant bird in plumage coloration when adult, for I have failed 

 to observe the slightest variation among the great numbers heretmder my notice. In building its nest it uses more 

 grass and less mud-cement than the hrevirostris does. The eggs are more pointed at the small end and lighter in 

 tiie ground color, with numerous sjdotches of dark brown. The chick is difticult to distinguish with certainty from 

 the hrevirostris, aud it is not until two or three weeks have passed that any dittereuce can be noted between (hem 

 as to the length of bill and color of feet. 



cg^s of the season, anil, <lesiriu<T to continue the day's work, tlispatched his wife back to the village with thenological burden, so that tlie 

 liasket might be emptied ; meanwhile, in her absence, he put his little tethering-stake down anew, aud, tying the rope of walrus or sea-lion 

 hide to it, dropped over the brow of the clilf on it. A gaunt fox, which had been watching the proceedings, now ran up and fell lo 

 tjna.wing the rope, so taut and tense with the weight of the suspended egg-hunter below; the sharp teeth of Reynard, uudrr the 

 circumstances, instantly severed it, and the unfortunate native was dashed to the rocky shingle some 400 feet below, where his lifeless 

 body was soon discovered. The poor fellow lost his life by having, at some earlier hour of the day, rubbed his yolk-smearcd hands upon 

 the sinewy strands, for at that place only did the liungry fox attack them. 



