132 BULLETIN 107, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 
Winter—Very little seems to be known about the migrations and 
winter range of the least auklet. Doctor Stejneger (1885) found 
them wintering in the vicinity of the Commander Islands; he writes: 
It was on December 1, 1882, that a specimen was brought me from Ladiginsk, 
on Bering Island. It was in full winter plumage, entirely white beneath, with- 
out knob, and with only a few traces of white feathers on the face. A few 
days before the end of the year several birds came near the shore, where they 
now could be seen to swim in small troops, or more frequently by twos and 
threes, parallel to the coa&t about a hundred yards offshore, according to the 
depth, usually in 3-fathom water, where they dived with great expertness for 
amphipods, which at that time seemed to be their chief or only food. When 
diving they lifted themselves up a little and went down with a quick jump. 
We were having a severe spell of cold when they made their appearance, and 
when it was over they disappeared again, none being seen after the 5th of 
January. They evidently winter on the open ocean somewhere about the 
islands. 
DISTRIBUTION. 
Breeding range.—Coasts and islands of Bering Sea. From the 
Aleutian Islands north to the Diomede Islands. Also said to breed 
on Kodiak Island. 
Winter range.—North Pacific Ocean from the Aleutian and Com- 
mander Islands southward to Japan and Washington (Puget Sound 
rarely). 
Spring migration.—At the Pribilof Islands the first birds were 
seen at sea March 26, but none came on land until on 25. In 
Unimak Pass they were found in numbers May 1. 
Fall migration. —August 16 the birds began to leave the aigeiing 
grounds in the Pribilof Islands and the last was seen August 28. 
Stragglers have been taken in the vicinity so late as December 6. 
The last was noted at Cape Iksurin, Siberia, September 26, and in 
Akutan Pass, Aleutian Islands, October 6. 
Casual records.—A. single bird was taken, August 30, at Point 
Barrow, by McIlhenny; and Nelson saw two birds 30 miles north 
of Cape Lisburne, August 15. One was found on a lake near Kotze- 
bue Sound in January, 1886. 
Egg dates—Pribilof Islands: 5 records, June 8 to July 7; 3 rec- 
ords, June 19 to 24. Diomede Islands: 3 records, June 12, July 18, 
and August 26. 
SYNTHLIBORAMPHUS ANTIQUUS (Gmelin). 
ANCIENT MURRELET. 
HABITS. 
In the large deep-water bays of the Aleutian Islands, protected 
from the furious storms of Bering Sea by towering cliffs and lofty 
snow-laden mountains which rise abruptly from the shores, these 
curious and daintly little sea birds find congenial summer homes on 
