56 NATUEAIi HISTOEY COLLECTIONS IN ALASKA. 



Since the above was written the Boss's Gull has been reported by Murdoch as abundant at 

 Point Barrow in the latter part of September and in October, 1881. None were seen iu spring or 

 summer. "They appeared in large, loose docks, coming in from the sea and from the southwest, 

 all apparently traveling to the northeast." It is not known where they breed or where they 

 winter. 



The species was first discovered north of British America, and all -the specimens known up to 

 the date of the capture of mine were secured about the Arctic coast and islands north of Europe 

 and on the opposite American coast. 



A specimen is recorded from between Nova Zembla and Franz-Josef Land by Payer in the 

 English edition of "New Lands within the Arctic Circle," Vol. II, p. 91. 



Three specimens of this gull were brought home by the naturalist of the ill-fated Jeannette. 

 During the long drift of this vessel in the ice northwest of Bering Straits a number of these 

 birds were seen and secured, but during the long journey over the ice only three examples were 

 kept. In spite of this and the length of time since the birds were killed, their plumage still glows 

 with a beautifully rich and delicate shade of rose color. While cruising in the Corwin off Wrangel 

 Island, in search of the Jeannette during August, 1881, the writer saw a small gull in immature 

 plumage, which at the time was identified as a young Xema. The bird kept at some distance from 

 the vessel and was fishing iu the water between the floating ice. Since my return to Washington 

 I have examined the Saint Michaels bird carefully and am convinced that my so-called Xema, off 

 Wrangel Island, was in reality a young Bhodostethia. 



During Parry's adventurous journey over the ice north of Spitzbergen it was seen several 

 times and was also noted in Waygatz Straits. 



Xema sabinii (Sab.). Sabine's Gull (Esk. Xd-yuthV-na-uli). 



All the marshy coast districts on both shores of Bering Sea are chosen resorts for this beauti- 

 ful gull during the breeding season. It is especially numerous along the Alaskan coast from the 

 Kuskoquim mouth to Kotzebue Sound, and on the Siberian side from Plover Bay to beyond the 

 Straits, but they occur more as birds of passage along the latter coast than as summer residents. 

 It occurs in small numbers on Saint Lawrence Island, but is unknown from the other Bering Sea 

 islands and the Aleutian chain. They undoubtedly winter along the eastern part of the latter 

 group, and thence south to some undetermined point along the Pacific coast. 



It is rather numerous about Point Barrow in summer, and Murdoch thinks they breed there. 



The earliest arrival noted by me at Saint Michaels was on May 10, 1878, and the latest date 

 in fall was October 10, 1879. 



My acquaintance with this bird began on my first excursion near Saint Michaels on June 

 26, 1877. We were caught by a head-tide at the mouth of the "canal," some 15 miles from the 

 forty and tied up to the bank to await the change. We stopped soon after midnight, and taking 

 my gun I strolled off across the marshes in the soft twilight. For some time only the hoarse cries 

 of distant loons or the rolling note of a crane broke the silence. The whole scene was desolate in 

 the extreme; not a living thing could be seen, and the bleaching fragments of drift-wood scattered 

 among the numberless ponds were all that broke the wide extent of level marsh. About 1.30 

 a. m. the sky became brighter, and the rich tones of the swans, mellowed by the distance to a har- 

 monious cadence, came from the larger lakes, while various other inhabitants of the marsh from 

 time to time added their voices to the chorus. In a few minutes a long, straggling train of small 

 gulls was seen passing over the ponds in silent procession; Approaching them they were found 

 to be busily engaged in feeding on the small fishes and various small larvse found in these pools. 

 Their motions and appearance were much like those of Bonaparte's Gull, when seen at a distance, 

 but they rarely plunge into the water like the latter, as the Xemas have the habit of hovering 

 gracefully close over the water to pick up a morsel, or of alighting for an instant in the water and 

 rising again on the wing so lightly that scarcely a ripple is made on the surface. Ten or a dozen 

 beautiful specimens were shot without difficulty as the birds flew about. 



During succeeding seasons I found these birds to be among the most numerous of the 

 gulls, and the main body of arrivals came in spring, as the ponds and small tide creeks were nearly 



