CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. 35 



inhabited by this beautiful gull ; it nests abundantly at the head 

 of Norton bay. (Nelson.) A common bird at St. Michael when 

 the ice breaks up after the middle of May. The great breeding 

 ground of the species is further south ; on the Pribilof islands 

 and some of the western Aleutian islands this species breeds in 

 thousands ; breeds sparingly at St. Michael. (Turnef.) Osgood, 

 Grinnell, Palmer and Stone all report this bird as common in the 

 parts of Alaska visited by them. 



Breeding Notes. — This bird ha? the same habits as R. brevi- 

 rostris. In building its nests it uses more grass and less mud- 

 cement than that species does. The eggs are more pointed at 

 the smaller end and lighter in ground colour, with numerous 

 splotches of dark brown. (Elliott.) 



41. Red-legged Kittiwake. 



Rissa brevirostris (Bruch) Lawr. 1858. 



Seen in considerable numbers at Unalaska, May 26th, 1877; 

 abundant on the Pribilof islands, especially on St. George 

 island, where they congregate in thousands and breed. {Nelson.) 

 Not a common bird at St. Michael ; the Aleutian and Pribilof 

 islands are its home. [Turner) 



Breeding Habits. — This bird reaches the Pribilof islands 

 about May 9th for the purpose of breeding. It uses dry grass 

 and moss cemented with mud which it gathers by the fresh- 

 water pools and ponds scattered over the islands. The nest is 

 solidly and neatly put up, both parents working. The nests are 

 placed on inaccessible shelves and points of mural rocks and can 

 scarcely be reached except a person be lowered by a rope. Two 

 eggs are tjie usual number, though occasionally three will be 

 found in the nest. The eggs are the size and shape of hens' eggs 

 but covered with a dark gray ground spotted and blotched with 

 sepia spots. (Elliott?) 



XXI. LARUS LiNN^us. 1758. 



42. Glaucous Gull. Burgomaster. 



Larus glaucus Brunn. 1764. 

 The most common large gull in Greenland, breeds with the 

 other gulls. (Arct. Man.) The commonest gull on Ellsemere 



