3^2 THE FUR SEALS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 



they had done." Ou August 10, when leaving St. Paul, we saw five brown birds off 

 the reef, bnt the adult white-bodied birds are occasionally seen. A specimen is 

 recorded on the National Museum Cntnlogue as having been taken between St. (ieorge 

 and Walrus Islands, No. 08346, 9, U.S.N.M., August 12,187.3; No. 11872, im. 3, 

 U.S.N.M., August 4, 1890, St. Paul. W. P., was as follows: Upper bill entirely pale- 

 rosy flesh color, with nail darker; lower bill much lighter, with the center of tip 

 greenish; iris, dark brown. Feet, Hesh color with a brownisli tinge, darker toward 

 tip of toes and altogether darker than bill. Testes, very minute. Length, 37.4r); 

 extent, 93.30; wing, 24.25. Stomach contents, the bait with which it had been 

 decoyed, three small intestinal worms, and a few white feathers, W. P. 



Family PROCELLARIIDAE. Fulmars and Petrels. 



I am aware of but two members of this family which have been found on the 

 islands. One is common and breeds: the other is rare, but may breed. Other species 

 undoubtedly occur and will be taken. 



15. Fulmaris glacialis rodgersi (Cass.). Rodger's Fulmar. " Lupis." 



Fulviariis rodgersii, Dam. .-iiid B.\nn. 'Iraus. Chif. Av. Sci. 1869, 30.3, PI. XXXIV, fij,'. 1.— Baiud 



/. c. 323, PI. XXIV, fig. 1.— Sai.vin, Cat. H. ]U: Mils., XXV, ISitfi, 127.— rCoi fsI Am Nat ' 



IV, 1870, 371. 

 Fiilmariia glachtlis, Elliott, Mou. Seal Ids., 1882, 131. 

 Fulmariis ylaviaJh roihjersii, CouES, iu Elliott's Rpt. Afl". Alaska, 1873; Reprint, 1875 195.— 



Nelson, Bds. Alaska, 1887, 62.— Townsend, Cruise, Corwm, 1887, 99.— Coues Key 1890 



778.— A. O.U.Ch. List, 1895,30.— RiD(;\VAY, Man., 1896,58. ' 



This gracefully flying bird is abundant off the south and east shores of St. Oeorgc, 

 aiul also on the cliffs of Otter Island. Tliey breed at both these places, but not on 

 either St. Paul or Walrus Island. A luimber of specimens in the National Museum 

 collection were collected by Elliott and Townsend. They are all in the white pliase. 

 On August 11, 1890, when leaving St. George I saw a single dark-bodied bird evi- 

 dently of this species. It "comes very early in the season and selects some rocky 

 shelf secure from all enemies save man, where, making no nest whatever, but squat- 

 ting on the rock itself, it lays a single large, white, oblong-oval egg and iniincdiately 

 commences the duty and labor of incubation. It is of all the waterfowl the most 

 devoted to its charge, for it will not be scared from the egg by any demonstration 

 that may be made in the way of throwing rocks or yelling, and it will even die as it 

 sits rather than take flight, as I have frequently witnessed. The fulmar lays from 

 the 1st to the r)th of Anne:'— (Elliott.) The eggs are highly prized for food, but their 

 collection is dangerous work. They evidently come early or remain near the islands 

 all winter. "The chick comes out a perfect puflfball of white down, gaining its first 

 plumage in about six weeks. It is a dull gray, black at first, but by the end of the 

 season it becomes like the parents in coloration, only much darker on tiie back and 

 scapularies. They are the least edible of all the birds about the islands. Like others 

 of the f;imily they vomit up the putrid contents of their stomachs upon the sliglitest 

 l)rovocation."— (^H/o//.) The eggs are white and are well pitted. One collected by 

 Elliott on Otter Island in 1872 measures 2.95 by 1.88. Two others from St. George, 

 June 10, 1873, Elliott, measure 2.80 by 1.78, 2.08 by 1.80. Nos. 62538, 62539 G254o' 

 62541, June 10, 1872, Otter Island. H. W. Elliott. No. 106859, 9 , June 14, 1885, Otter 

 Island, (J. H. Townsend. No. 63345, 9 , March 1, 1874. George K. Adams, Walrus 

 Island. 



