1911] Swarih: Alaska Expedition of 1909. 33 



The nine specimens secured (nos. 9891-9899), eight females 

 and one male, vary a great deal in plumage, principally in 

 the markings about the head and neck. A breeding female 

 (no. 9899) has hardly a trace of the slender white plumes on 

 the sides of the head and neck, and while the outline of the 

 black throat patch is indicated, it is composed more than half 

 of white or gray-tipped feathers. There are but a few scattered 

 glossy black feathers in the ashy gray sides and flanks. But 

 two in the series (nos. 9892, 9895) are in what appears to be 

 perfect nuptial plumage, the others being variously intermediate 

 between the extremes. 



Brachyramphus marmoratus (Gmelin). IMarbled I\Iurrelet. 



By far the most common and most universally distributed 

 species of water bird met with in the region. It was seen, 

 frequently in large numbers, practically everywhere we went, 

 except out on the open sea. Here, where the ancient murrelet 

 appeared, the present species was lost sight of, and it seems 

 evident that, in some respects, the requirements of the two 

 species are totally different. 



Three specimens were secured. A male shot on Frederick 

 Sound, April 10 (no. 9900), still retains the winter plumage in 

 its entirety, and other grav-colored individuals were seen as 

 late as INIay 23, though some of these may have been young birds. 

 An adult male taken at the southern extremity of Kuiu Island on 

 May 18 (no. 9901), is still entirely in the winter plumage; 

 but on dissection it proved to be a non-breeding bird, and, 

 further the left carpus had been broken, and though the bone 

 had healed perfectly the bird was greatly emaciated; it is 

 possible that its general health had suffered so that it did not 

 go through the molt at the usual time. The third specimen, 

 also an adult male, taken in Sea Otter Sound, Prince of Wales 

 Island, on May 23 (no. 9902), is in perfect summer plumage, 

 the dorsal feathers being so broadly tipped with chestnut as 

 to cause the back to appear almost uniformly of that color. 



Cepphus columba Pallas. Pigeon Guillemot. 

 This species was generally distributed throughout the region 

 explored, but except in one or two favored localities did not 



