534 



THE DIVING BIRDS - PYGOPODES. 



to be indicative of maturity ; young individuals, though otherwise nearly fully fledged, 

 and able to fly, having them very imperfectly developed. Both this species and the 

 corniculata are used as food by the Eskimos, and their skins are made into winter 

 dresses by the Magemuts and the Southern Unaleets. Mr. Dall adds that this bird is 

 abundant on Besborough Island, and that it Avas plentifully obtained by Mr. Bischoff 

 at Sitka and Kadiak. It is seen abundantly at Unalashka, on the outer rocks and 

 cliffs, where it breeds in inaccessible situations, but never in the harbor, where it is 

 resident. None were seen on the Shuraagins. Mr. Dall also found it abundant west 

 of Unalashka, throughout the islands, more especially the unfrequented ones. It was 

 more rare east of Unalashka. JMr. Dall states that it lays two eggs. He found fresh 

 eggs of this species and of the cornindata from May to the end of July. The skins 

 are used by the Western Aleuts for making hunting-shirts. 



The Tufted Puffin of authors --the Tawpawkie of the natives of the Prybilof 

 Islands, according to Mr. H. W. Elliott — comes to those islands at the same time 

 with the corniculata, and resembles that species in its habits generally. It lays a 

 single large white egg, of a rounded oval shape. He was not able to see a newly 

 hatched chick, owing to the retired and inaccessible nature of the breeding-places. 

 Could Walrus Island be visited frequently during the season, interesting observa- 

 tions might be made there, for the nests are more easy of access. The young when 

 six weeks old resemble the parents exactly, only the bill is lighter-colored, and 

 the plumes on the head incipient. He took eggs from over thirty nests in July. 

 The natives say that it is very quarrelsome when mating, its cries sounding like the 

 growling of a bear, as heard far down under the rocks that cover its nest. The 

 egg is much thicker and more capacious than that of corniculata, though no longer. 

 The shell is rough, dead white, and, besides the frequent discolorations, shows in 

 several specimens very pale obsolete shell-markings of purplish gray. Several of 

 Mr. Elliott's specimens measured : 2.85 by 1.95 inches ; 2.80 by 1.92 ; 2.75 by 2.00 ; 

 2.65 by 1.95. 



A few specimens of this bird were obtained from the Kurile Islands in summer 

 by Mr. N. Fukusi, where its common name is Etopirika (" Ibis," 1878). 



