THE BIRDS OF THE PRIRILOF ISLANDS. 397 



imnijiturity, some of wliicli are described b6lo\r.' Ko. 118703, im. S , August ."), 1890, 

 St. Paul, W. P., has three feathers, next to the two outside ones on each side of the 

 tail, with a black blotch near tlie end; in some there is a blotch on each web. There 

 is considerable black on the alula feathers and on the i^rimary coverts. A few dark 

 feathers around the eye. Eye ring, dull red; feet, dark brown, i^aler on the toes and 

 tarsi. Xo. 118700, im. S , July 8, 1890, St. Paul, W. P., lias dark spots on tip of alula, 

 slight black edging running down second primary. Eye ring, Indian red; bill, green- 

 ish yellow, base and tip lighter; angle of mouth and interior, deep orange red; feet 

 dark, except upper part of inner webs and inside of tibia, which are blotched with 

 orange yellow. Length 17.25, wing 12.95. No. 118702, $ , July 27, St. Paul, W. P. 

 A few black spots on edge of wing, and second primary partly edged with black on 

 the white for an inch. Bill yellow, brightest toward base, tip very pale horny; eye 

 ring vermilion; angle of mouth and interior deep orange red; feet brown, tinged 

 with yellowish; naked part of tibia, angle of webs and sides of tarsi, orange yellow; 

 tongue dark flesh color. No. 118699, 9 . Plumbeous on sides of head; bill i)ale horny 

 yellow; base of lower, black; angle of mouth and iiiside orange red, black in front; 

 feet dark brownish, webs a little lighter; iris, dark brown; eye ring, vandyke brown. 

 Length 16.75, spread 39.50, wing 12,37. Two eggs, August 2, St. Paul, W. P., well 

 incubated, measure 2.20 by 1.70, 2.17 by 1.01. Two eggs June 8, 1889, Walrus Islaud, 

 O. H. Townseud, are 2.42 by 1.63, 2.19 by 1.52. They vary from a white ground color 

 to a pale brownish, and are spotted with numerous irregular small blotches of various 

 shades of brown. Many of these blotches are obscured by later deposits of shell 

 lime. Some eggs show a tendency to a segregation of spots around the larger end 

 and a few show a decided belt, but there is no rule. A few have some wavy lines. 



37. Rissa brevirostrls (Bruch). Red-legged Kittiwake; "doverooskie." 

 Lariih! Warneclci, Coinde, Rev. et Mag. ZooL, 1860, 401. 

 Larus hrcrirostris, CouES, iu Elliott's Ept. Afit'. Alaska, 1873; Heprint, 1875, 199. — Elliott, Men. 



Seal Ids., 1882, 133. 

 Bissa Irevirostris, Dall and Bann., Traus. Chic. Ac. Sci. 1869, 305. — Turner, Con. Nat. Hist. 



Alaska, 1886, 124.— Nelson, Bds. Alaska, 1887, 50.— Townsend, Cruise, Corwin, 1887,98.— 



A. O. U. Ch. List, 1895, 16.— Riugway, Man. 1896, 25.— Coues, Key, 1890,748.— Saukuers, 



Cat. B. Bri. Uw&, XXV, 1896, 312. 



To my mind this is the most beautiful species on the islands. Always gracefal, 

 whether on the cliffs or flying, its beautiful form and delicate snow white plumage, 

 with its vermilion feet, adds much to the avifaunal wonders of these islands. I can 

 add little to Mr. Elliott's very full account. Unlike its cousin, which carries its feet 

 extended when flying, this species nearly always buries them in the feathers of its 

 underbody as if fearful of showing their beauty except when absolutely necessary. 

 Their eyes are very dark and very large, much more so when alive than when dead; 

 the eye rings are vermilion. When fog envelops these islands, both the land and sea, 

 the sea birds away from home find their way by flyiug along the edges of the blufls 

 where the stored heat in the rocks dissipates the rapidly drifting fog. The wily Aleut, 

 knowing these characteristics, ensconces himself behind a rock in a suitable location 

 and with a large dip net intercepts the birds on their way along the blufls. Thus 



-These specimens readily suggest color changes hy meaus of pigment movement, but really are 

 imperfectly changed young birds. As the dark color exists always on the apical part of the feather, 

 it indicates iu such birds a failure for a brief period to suppress the tendency to coutiuue the color of 

 the first plumage, an individual lapse from the evolutional line of progress of the species. 



