10 COLLETT AND NANSEN. ACCOUNT OF THE BIRDS, [norw. POL. EXP. 



Somateria molUssima, (Lin.) 1766. 



A few solitary specimens were observed at Khabarova in Yugor Strait, 

 on July 30th and 31st. They all appeared to be dark in colour (summer 

 plumage). 



No eider-ducks were afterwards seen until September 16th, to the 

 east of Chelyuskin, when several flocks were seen from the ship, almost off 

 the mouth of the Olenek. As the typical ^S*. molUssima has not with 

 certainty been observed east of the Kara Sea, it is probable that it was 

 S. v-nigra. 



Stei'na niacrura, Naum. 1819. 



Seen here and there along the Siberian coast from Yugor Strait almost 

 up to Cape Chelyuskin. Two or three were seen on August 18th on Reno 

 (74" 46' N. Lat.). The last seen was observed in Taimur Bay (off the King 

 Oscar Peninsula) as late as September 7th (76" 32' N. Lat.). 



JSissa tridactyla, (Lin.) 1766. 



Both in the Kara Sea, and all along the coast of Siberia, there proved to 

 be very few gulls; and except in Yugor Strait, (at about the end of July 

 and the beginning of August), they were seldom seen in any great numbers. 



The species that occurred most frequently was the kittiwake. This bird 

 was seen flying about over the sea, and was observed almost daily, though 

 seldom otherwise than singly or a few together. It appeared to be somewhat 

 more numerous farther east; and several specimens were observed in the middle 

 of August along the Taimur coast, and on the Kjellman Islands. This part 

 of the Siberian coast did not seem to afford suitable breeding-places for this 

 species. 



The ship met flocks of kittiwakes when she came up to the edge of 

 the ice on September 20th, in 77 » 46' N. Lat., to the north of the New 

 Siberian Islands. During the few following days, they were still seen occa- 

 sionally; but when the ice began to close in round the 'Fram' (Sept. 24th), 

 they disappeared altogether. These were the last birds seen that autumn. 



A dead specimen was found floating on the water on September 20th 

 (770 50' N. Lat.). 



