ANAKTUVUK PASS 31 



Eskimos make with their telescopes. Their call is unlike that of the 

 common loon, and for another contrast, yellow-billed loons take 

 wing more readily. No nests have been found in the mountain valleys, 

 but these loons are seen and heard frequently during the summer. 

 The Nunamiut consider black-billed loons more common in the 

 mountains, although I was inclined to regard yellow-billed loons more 

 numerous. I now think that the Nunamiut view is correct and that 

 mine was formed because yellow-billed loons fly more frequently from 

 lake to lake and in late summer occasionally indulge in aerial 

 maneuvers. 



The regular presence of these loons and the observed young are 

 assurance of their nesting in large lakes near the mountains. There 

 are few lakes large enough for them or for black-billed loons within 

 the mountains in Anaktuvuk Valley, and so it is thought that most 

 are visitors from larger lakes north of the mountain line, whereas 

 the black-billed loons which are seen appear to remain steadily within 

 a more restricted summer territory. 



I consider yellow-billed loons to be migrants that visit and rarely 

 nest in the mountains. 



Gavia arctica pacifica (La^vrence) 



Imale 



June 23, 1949 



weight 2326 g. 



1 female 



June 14, 1949 



weight 1850 g. 



1 downy young 



July 31, 1950 



weight 1242 g. 



male, probably 







of this species 







The earliest recorded appearance of Pacific arctic loons is June 1, 

 1949. One or two weeks later, when the ice breaks up completely in 

 the lakes, many of those a half mile across or larger, are occupied by a 

 pair of Pacific loons. At the end of July, one parent may be seen 

 closely accompanied by a large downy young or occasionally two. 

 A parent and young were observed on the landing lake near Imaiginik 

 and two days later a large young downy loon was brought in from 

 there. It is listed with question under this species, to which it probably 

 belongs. 



The Pacific loons are at least 10 times as numerous as black-billed 

 loons. Like the yellow-billed loons, they fly swiftly and frequently, 

 and these two species seem to fish over a considerable area. They 

 frequent larger bodies of water than the more sedentary red-throated 

 loons, and are only about a tenth as numerous. 



As Malirgik they are well known by the Nunamiut to be regular 

 nesting residents in the lakes of the mountain valleys. The greater 

 numbers seen in spring and late summer are thought to be migrating. 



