104 



The Canadian Field-Naturalist 



[Vol. XXXVI 



Cerorhinca monocerala. Rhinoceros Auklet. — 

 Fairly common in Massett Harbour. Adult, 

 Massett, July 17. 



Ptychoramphiis aleuticus. Cassin Auklet .^ — The 

 remains of three birds of this species were found on 

 the top of Tow Hill, where they had been carried and 

 partly eaten by the falcons. One pair of wings, 

 July 28. 



Brachyramphus marmoratiis. Marbled Murre- 

 LET. — Not infrequently observed in Massett Har- 

 bour, and less frequently about Yakan Point. In 

 Massett Harbour they were several times seen in 

 companies of two. Massett, July 5, July 10. 

 "Both in dark mottled plumage." 



Cepphus columba. Pigeon Guillemot. — Fairly 

 common in the mouth of Massett Inlet. No birds 

 of the year were observed. 



Larus glaucescens. Glaucous-winged Gull. — 

 Two or three hundred adults and birds of the year 

 were frequently present about Massett Reserve, 

 Yakan Point and Rose Spit. Mr. Edward Hodgson, 

 2103 Fernwood Road, Victoria, B.C., informed me 

 that gulls nest on Jacac Island which lies northeast 

 of Graham and is near Dundas Island. He said 

 that gulls also nest in great numbers on Grass 

 Island on the west coast. Juvenile, Rose Spit, 

 August 1; adult. Tow Hill, August 7. "The 

 juvenile is at least a year old, as shown by the wear 

 on the feathering, and is in full moult. However, 

 the incoming plumage seems that of a bird of the 

 year, being more like the first than what would be 

 expected as the second winter plumage. The old 

 plumage, including primaries and tail, is very worn 

 and ragged, and bleached pale. The incoming 

 plumage on the back is almost solidly dark, showing 

 very little of the vermiculation of the juvenile. 

 This looks like a case of arrested development, and 

 an approximation to a reproduction of a juvenile 

 plumage when a more mature one should ensue. 

 This may sometimes occur in subnormal birds, 

 especially amongst the gulls. The adult specimen 

 seems about normal." 



Larus aryentatus. HERRING Gull. — Less com- 

 mon than the Glaucous-winged Gulls with which 

 they mingle. Three specimens. Rose Spit, August 

 1; Tow Hill, August 7. "Except 14102, the re- 

 mains of the passing plumage are very greatly worn 

 and faded, as if it had been retained considerably 

 beyond its proper time for replacement. I think 

 this is likely true of most of the summer Herring 

 Gulls on this coast, as on Lake Erie, that have not 

 repaired to their more northern breeding grounds. 

 None of the.se birds has the grayish wing-tips of 

 thayeri, but what black tips are indicated are pure 

 and deep like tho.se of argenlaiuH." 



Phalacrocorax pelagicus rohufslus. Violet-GREEN 

 Cormorant. — Not uncommon in Massett Harbour, 



and a flock of forty or fifty frequented Yakan Point 

 and vicinity during the day and spent the night on 

 the small ledges of the perpendicular, seaward face 

 of Tow Hill. The chief food is probably sculpins. 

 Tow Hill, August 7, "much worn and faded"; Tow 

 Hill, August 7, "moulting"; Tow Hill, August 7, 

 "mixed ad. and jv. plumage." 



Mergus sp.? Merganser.- — Seldom observed 

 until September, when two flocks of eight and eigh- 

 teen were observed, both on salt water and all in 

 gray plumage. 



Lophodytes cucullatus. Hooded Merganser. — 

 Eleven individuals were observed on the lakes. 

 None of them were adult males. Juvenile, Tow 

 Hill, August 9. 



Anas platyrhynchos. Mallard. — -Fairly common. 

 More frequently observed as the season advanced 

 and the young birds began flying. Cecil Baker, 

 residing near Tow Hill, informed me that this 

 species breeds back of his cabin on a muskeg which 

 contains several small ponds. Massett, September 

 12. 



Nettion carolinense. Green-winged Teal. — 

 First observed on August 21, and shortly after 

 appeared abundantly, particularly in the lee of 

 Yakan Point, where flocks of 200 and 300 were seen. 

 I also observed it on Silver and on Mica Lake, and 

 it is said by the settlers to frequent the rivers. 

 Juvenile, Silver Lake, August 21. 



Dafila acuta. Pintail. — Three female or im- 

 mature specimens were observed near Tow Hill, 

 September 5. Tow Hill, September 5. 



Harelda hyemalis. Old-sqaw Duck. — From July 

 27 to September 5, a total of five birds was observed 

 in the vicinity of Yakan Point. One of these was 

 within easy gun shot, but as we had no boat it 

 could not have been secured. 



Oidemia americana. American Scoter. — From 

 July 30 to September 5, a male bird, probably the 

 same individual, was three times observed near 

 Yakan Point in company with White-winged 

 Scoters. 



Oidemia deglandi. White-winged Scoter. — 

 Common in water adjacent to all the shore line 

 explored. During the latter part of August the 

 moulting period was apparently in full swing as the 

 beach was frequently littered with feathers. I 

 observed an adult male which had moulted all of 

 the primaries and, as the new feathers were only 

 about one-fourth grown, was unable to fly. Massett 

 July 5. "Old plumage very much worn and faded." 



Oidemia perHpicillata. SuRF Scoter.— A flock of 

 six was observed on August 7, near Yakan Point. 



Branla canadensis subsp.? GoosB. — Fairly com- 

 mon on the rivers, lakes and muskegs. On August 

 21, fully 150 were seen on Mica Lake, which is 

 about a mile long by an eighth of a mile wide. The 



