THE FUR-SEAL ISLANDS OF ALASKA. 133 



31. Laraa brevirostris. Red-legged Kitteiwak ; "Goverooskie." 



Tliis beautiful gull is one of tbe most elegaut of all birds on tbe wing, and is, perbaps, as bandsome as any hnown to 

 tbo sigbt, wben it rests ; it seems to deligbt in favoring tbese islands witb its presence, to tbe exclusion of otber land, 

 coming bere by tens of tbousands to breed. Certain it is tbat my specimens testify to its special abuniiauce, and tbat 

 it is by far tbe most attractive of all of its kind; tbe sbort, symmetrical bill, large bazel eye witb crimson lids, and 

 ricb coral or vermilion-red legs and feet, contrast beautifully witb tbe suowy-wbite plumage of its bead, neck, 

 lavender back, and under parts. 



Like Larus glaucun, tbis bird remains about tbe islands during tbe wbole season, coming on tbe cliffs for tbo 

 purpose of nest-building, breeding by tbe 9tb of May and deserting tbe bbifis wben the birds are fully fledged and 

 ready for fligbt, early in October. It is mucb more prudent and cautious tluui tbe auks and tbe murrcs, for its 

 nests are always placed on nearly inaccessible shelves and points of mural walls, so tbat seldom can one be reached, 

 unless a person is lowered down to it by a rope passed over tbe cliff. 



Nest-building is commenced early in May, and completed, generally, not miiuli before tbe 1st of July ; it uses dry 

 grass and moss cemented with mud, wliich it gathers at tbe fresh-water pools and ponds scattered over (be islands. 

 The nest is solidly and neatly put up; the parents work together in its construction most dibgently and amiably. 

 Two eggs are tbe usual number, although occasionally three will be found in the nest. If these eggs are removed 

 tbe female will renew them like the "arrie", in tbe course of another week or ten days. They are of tbe size and 

 shape of a common hen's egg, but covered with a dark gray ground spotted and blotched with sepia patches. Once 

 in a while an egg will have on tbe smaller end a large number of suffused blood-red spots. Both parents assist in 

 the labor of incubation, wliich lasts a trifle longer than the usual time — from twenty-four to twenty-si.x days. Tbe 

 chick comes out with a pure white downy coat, a pale whitish-gray bill and feet, and rests helplessly in the nest 

 until its feathers grow. During tbis period it is a comical-looking object. The natives capture them, now and then, 

 to make pets of, always having a number every year scattered through tbe village, usually tied by one leg to a 

 stake at the doors of their houses, where they become very tame ; and, it is not until fall, wben cold weather sets in, 

 that they become restless and willingly leave their captivity for tbe freedom of tbe air. Tbis bird is remarkably 

 constant in its specific characters. Among tbe thousands and tens of thousands of them, 1 have never observed 

 any variation in the coloration of the bills, feet, or plumage of the mature birds, with one exception. This is a 

 variety, seldom seen, bow^ever, in which tbe feet are nearly yellow, or much more yellow than red, and the edge of 

 the eyelid is black instead of being normally scarlet; there is also a dark patch back of each eye in these odd 

 specimens. The abnormal color of the feet is, probably, due to sheer accidental individual peculiarity, while the 

 eye-patch and absence of bright color from tbe eyelids may depend upon the season. 



32. Colymbus arcticus. Black-throated Diver. 



When surveying Zapaduie, July, 1873, in^measuring my angles on the beach, I came across tbe form of this 

 bird, thrown up, nearly dead, by the surf, under my feet. It is the only one I have seen upon tbe islands, and 

 1 called the attention of tbe old wiseacres of the village to it. Whereupon, after much deliberation and guttural 

 Aleutian vocabzation, they informid me that they had never noticed it before around the island, though one aged 

 man declared to the contrary, and submitted his minority report with great emphasis and much gravity. At all 

 events, it is seldom seen here. Tbe bird in question was a fine adult specimen, and it is interesting to observe tbat 

 it is tbe true Cohjmhus arcticus and not y-av. pacificus, which might naturally have been expected. 



33. Podiceps griseigena. Eed-nkcked Ghebe. 



As in the case of the diver above cited, the present specimen is a typical form rather than a North American 

 variety. It was the only specimen seen during my residence on the island. It has, however, been observed by the 

 natives heretofore, though they affirm that it is uncommon; also, a straggler, in my opinion. 



34. Fratercula corniculata. Horned Puffin ; " Epatka." 



My first impression when I saw one of these odd-looking birds, witb its large shovel-like, lemon yellow and red 

 bill, as it sat squatted in glum silence on tbe rocky cliff perches, was one of great amusement, and it stared back at 

 me in stolid wonder as I laughed. Of all birds in these latitudes, it seems to have been fashioned with a special 

 regard to the fantastic and ludicrous. This mormon,. in common with one otber species, M. cirrhaf a, comes up from 

 the sea in the south to tbe clifl's of tbe islands about the lOtb of May, always in pairs, never coming singly to, or 

 going away from, the Pribylovs in flocks. It makes a nest of dried sea-ferns, grass, and moss, slovenly laid together, 

 far back in some deep or rocky crevice, where, wben tbe egg is laid, it is ninety-nine times out of a hundred cases, 

 inaccessible; nothing but blasting-powder would open a passage to it for man. It has this peculiarity: it is the 

 only bird on these islands which seems to quarrel forever and ever with its mate. The hollow reverberations of its 

 anger, scolding, and vituperation from the nuptial chamber, are the most characteristic sounds, and indeed the only 

 ones that come from the recesses of the rocks. No sympathy need be exi)ended on the female. She is just as big and 

 just as violent as her lord and master. The nest contains but a single egg, large, oblong, oval, pure wliite; and, 

 contrai-y to the custom of the gulls, arries, and choochkies, when the egg is removed the sea-parrot does not renew 

 it, but deserts the nest, perhaps locating elsewhere. The young chick I have not been able to get until it becomes 



