NO. 4] THE FIRST SUMMER IN THE ICE. 



Although the arctic black guillemot, like its congener on the continent, 

 must, on the whole, be considered a littoral form, it here appeared that in the 

 summer, these birds (probably the younger, immature ones) distributed them- 

 selves over the Arctic Ocean, at considerable distances from the nearest land. 

 Further confirmation of this fact was obtained north of Spitsbergen, during 

 the return voyage of the 'Fram'. 



.» Alle alle, (Lin.) 1766. 



On June 26th, 1894, Mogstad and Jacobsen observed a small sea-bird, 

 belonging to this, or the previous species, flying over the ship in a north- 

 westerly direction. As it was at a considerable height, it was taken to be 

 a httle auk, and not a black guillemot (81 37' N. Lat., 121° E. Long.). 



This may possibly have been a stray specimen, as no more of this 

 species, nor of the larger Alcidce, were observed. Breeding-cliffs and colonies 

 of Alcidce did not therefore seem to occur in the region ti-aversed by the 

 'Fram' that summer. 



