THE BIRDS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 379 



of black down, which was always placed on and around the eggs, not beneath, and 

 which was evidently from the bird's own breast. On June 10 several males were to 

 be seen still in the winter plumage, and one remained for a considerable time after 

 with the head feathers unchanged. A female, June 21, had not changed at all. No. 

 118728, $, June 7. Tip and base of bill black, center bright salmon, blending in 

 front, but joining black in front of nostrils by a sharp curved line. Salmon color 

 continued across lower jaw, with the tip blackish. Feet pearly white, webs darkisL, 

 also joints, as well as between scales; iris yellow gray. No. 118726, $ , June 7. Bill 

 very dark olive, base behind nostrils blotchy greenish; feet similar to S ; iris light 

 hazel. Downy young: Bill dark brown, center of tip of upper mandible horny 

 reddish, reaching back on the sides somewhat; iris dark brown; feet glossy greenish 

 gray, joints darker; webs at sides of toes light olive, reaching partly over toes between 

 the joints. 



4..Histrionicus bistrionicus (Linn.). Harlequin Duck. 



Bistrionicus torquatus, Cooes, in Elliott's Kpt. Aff. Alaska, 1873; Beprint, 1875, 199. — ^Elliott, 



Mon. Seal Ids., 1882, 130. 

 S[istrionious] minutus, CouES, Key, 1890, 707. 



Cosvionetta hiatrionicd, Salvadoki, Cat. B. Br. Mus., XXVII, 1895, 395. 



Sistrionicus hiatrionicas, Nelson, Bds. Alaska, 1887, 74. — Townsend, Cruise Cormn, 1887, 

 99.— A. O. U. Ch. List, 1895, 55.— Ridgway, Man. 1896, 107. 



An abundant species about the rocky islets and shores, usually in quite large 

 flocks. "It is the most gregarious of all the duck tribe known to these islands; flocks 

 of a hundred closely bunched together may be found at every turn by the traveler on 

 the coast; nor is it particularly wild or shy, for every morning at St. George * * * 

 I could have a shot at fifty or a hundred of these birds. * * * It is a remarkably 

 silent bird, and from it I never heard any cry whatever during the whole year; for it 

 is about the island, unless the ice drives it away,^ throughout that entire period." — 

 (Elliott.) On a little rock off shore, under Village Hill on St. Paul, I saw frequently 

 fully 150 of this species. They came about 7 p. m. to roost during favorable weather. 

 Seeing a person on the cliff, they fly off into the sea; but if one remains quiet they soon 

 return, and, taking advantage of the crest of a wave, make a short flight to the rock. 

 Among them, on June 12, I saw three male Steller's eiders and several females. In 

 bad weather on the western side of the island they roosted at night on the rocks in 

 the harbor, and often during the summer came into the harbor, and even flew up the 

 lagoon. On July 10 I counted 63 in the harbor, of which only 3 were males in full 

 plumage. I was told that some young were killed on St. George during the summer. 

 The eggs, of which few are known, even these being of doubtful identification, are 

 given by Mr. Ridgway in his manual as ** bufty white or pale buft'y, 2.30 by 1.62." Nos. 

 64297-64301, 5 5 5 9 9, June-July, 1873, St. George, H. W. Elliott. No. 106839, S , 

 June 14, 1885, Otter Island, 0. H. Townsend. 



5. Bniconetta stelleri Pall. Steller's Eider. 



Somateria stelleri, Couks, in Elliott's Ept. Aff. Alaska, 1873; Beprint, 1875, 192. — Elliott, 



Mon. Seal Ids., 1882, 130. 

 Somateria (if.) stelleri, CouES, Key, 1890, 709. 

 Senicovetta stelleri, Salvadoki, Cat. B. Br. Mus., XXVII, 1895, 418. 



Bniconetta stelleri. Nelson, Bds. Alaska, 1887, 75.— A. O. U. Ch. List, 1895, 56.— Ridgway, Man. 

 1896, 108. 

 Prom the Village Hill at St. Paul in May, 1872, Mr. Elliott shot two examples, and 

 from the same point of view I saw several on June 10, 1890, in company with many 



