l8 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 



20. Least Auklet. 



Simorhynchus pusillus (Pall.) Coues. 1862. 



Coasts and islands of the North Pacific, from Sitka and Japan 

 northward. {A. 0. U. List.) The most abundant water-fowl in 

 Behring Sea. Breeding in immense numbers on the Aleutian 

 Islands. It lays a single white egg under loose boulders in a 

 crevice on the cliff. (^NelsoA.') Common along the whole chain of 

 Aleutian Islands and as far east as Kadiak ; abundant on St. 

 George Island in Behring Sea. ( Turner.) 



Breeding Notes. — They breed in greatest numbers on about 

 five miles square of basaltic shingle on St. George Island. They 

 make no nest, but. lay a single egg far down below amongst the 

 loose rocks. The pure white egg is exceedingly variable in 

 size and shape, usually oblong-oval with the smaller end pointed. 

 {Elliott.) 



MUSEUM specimens. 



Our collection has three representatives of this species, all 

 t-aken on St. Paul Island by Mr. J. M. Macoun. One was taken 

 August i6th, 1891 ; and the other two August 15th, 1896. Four 

 eggs are in the collection, taken by Mr. J. M. Macoun on St. 

 Paul Island in June, 1897. 



XI. SYNTHLIBORAMPHUS Brandt. 1837. 



21. Ancient Murrelet. Grey-headed Auk. 



Synthliboramphus antiquus (Gmel.) 1788. 



St.George Island, one of the Pribyloff group, and at Sitka; breeds 

 abundantly on the Nearer Islands where a few are resident ; also 

 at the Chica Islets, in Akutan Pass, near Unalaska. (Nelson.) 

 One specimen obtained at Atka Island, June 12th, 1879 ; breeds 

 in holes made in the turf in the northeast part of the island. 

 {Turner) Sitka Bay, Alaska. {Dr. Bean.) One specimen taken 

 at Cape Beale, on the west coast of Vancouver Island in Novem- 

 ber, 1888. {Fannin) 



Breeding Habits. — I have a series of 20 eggs of this bird that 

 were taken on Sannak Island, Alaska, on June 26th, 1894. Up 

 to that time very few eggs of this bird had been taken. Mr. 

 Littlejohn found the nests under bunches of rank, matted grass, 

 the nests consisting of a slight excavation, and the eggs resting on 



