Nov., 1900] BIRDS OF THE KOTZEBUK SOUND REGION. 7 



this series the smallest egg measures 2,45x1.77; the largest. 2.78x1.87. The aver- 

 age of twenty eggs is 2.65x1.81. The eggs of the Horned Puffin are thus readilj^ 

 di.stinguishable in size from those of the Tufted Puffin. Tvventj^ eggs of the latter 

 species from St. Lazaria Island near Sitka in south-eastern Alaska, average 2.90X 

 1. 91. Mr. Rivers, vv^ho was on the "Penelope" during the spring, noted the first 

 Puffins at Chamisso Island on June 25. The eskimo name of the Horned Puffin 

 is Ka-liing'uk. 



Cvclorrlivnchus psittaculii:^^ (Pall.). 



Paroquet Auklet. 



This bird was fairly common in the open water for fifty miles northward from 

 Bering Straits, the first of July '98. 



Siuiorhynchus cristatcllus (Pall.). 



Crested Auklet. 



This Auklet was extremely numerous within fift}' miles to the northward from 

 Bering Straits. From June 28 to July 3, as we were slowl}^ following the nc.rthward- 

 moving ice-pack, auklets were almost always in sight, flying low over the water 

 in small squads. A few were seen close to shore off Cape Lowenstern and a 

 single pair, in the outer waters of Kotzebue Sound off Cape Espenberg. I do not 

 know that either of the three species of auklets here enumerated breed north of 

 the Diomed Islands in Eering Straits, so that those we saw probably had their 

 headquarters there. The eskimo at Cape Blossom were evidently familiar with 

 the Crested Auklet, for they recognized my specimens as Ing-ar'ik. 



SimorJiyiicluts pusillits (Pall.). 



Least Auklet. 



The Least x\uklet was seen for a few miles ncrtheast of Bering Straits, the 

 first of July. It apparently shared the same range with tlie Paroquet and Crested 

 Auklets. 



Uria lomvia arra (Pall.). 



Pallas's Murre. 



Murres were extremely numerous in the Arctic Ocean from Bering Straits 

 northeastward into Kotzebue Sound. On July 9, '99, we found this species breed- 

 ing tn immense numbers around Chamisso Island. At this date the eggs were all 

 fresh and many were obtained. They were laid on jutting rocks and terrace-like 

 ledges on the face of the cliffs above the surf. A series of the eggs exhibits great 

 variation in ground-color and markings, as is characteristic in the genus Uria. No 

 two eggs in the series of one hundred are alike. There is also considerable differ- 

 ence in size, the smallest measuring 2.87x1.87, the largest, 3.40x2.12; a usual size 

 being about 3.25x2.0c. The food of all the Alcidcr as shown by the stomach contents 

 of those examined, consisted of small crustaceans. Mr. Rivers saw the first Murres 

 around Chamisso Island on June 6th, when they were frequenting the ojaen chan- 

 nels in the ice. 



