TfiE BIRDS 0E JAN MAYEN ISLAND. 



45 



II 



Eemarks. 



$ Winter 

 2 Winter 

 ? Winter 

 $ Summer 

 $ Summer 



35 

 35 

 43 

 40 



46 



32 

 33-5 

 33 

 34 



16 

 21 



22 

 21 



22-8 



4-6 

 5-3 

 6-2 

 5-8 

 6-4 



3 

 3 



3-8 

 3-8 

 4 



Measurements from skin. 



J Feet in fresh bird light brown. Beak 

 \ black. Plumage brilliant blue-black. 



The flesh of the skinned Auk tastes uncommonly good, and these 

 birds, together with ducks, formed a favourite dish of fresh food. 

 [From the description, and from the figure on the plate, there 

 can be no doubt that this supposed variety of Briinnich's 

 Guillemot was a specimen of the Eazorbill — an error concern- 

 ing the two birds which is not without precedent in arctic 

 Ornithology. The occurrence of this species at Jan Mayen is, 

 however, not without interest, since it is believed that this is 

 the most northerly record within the European Polar Kegion. — 

 W.E.C.] 



Mergulus alle, L., Little Auk. — Met with on our first attempt 

 to land on Jan Mayen, as well as in June near the ice. It supplied 

 our first arctic dish, and was much enjoyed. Numerous in the 

 Vogelberge and in fissures of the lava-fields, and inhabits any 

 small cavities and crevices in the Vogelberge to which it can 

 obtain access. Is met with at a height of a few feet above sea- 

 level as frequently as on the highest peaks of the mountains. 

 During the breeding-season, however, the majority of the birds 

 are obliged to put up with stone-heaps and loam or clay fields 

 ("Lehmfeldern"), depositing its eggs in holes at the depth 

 often of a metre below the surface. On August 31st the birds 

 had nearly departed. On October 15th solitary specimens were 

 seen at a short distance from the shore ; none visited the Vogel- 

 berge. At the end of November and beginning of December the 

 number seen in the bays was so great that hundreds could have 

 been shot with ease. On Dec. 23rd two specimens were caught 

 alive among drift-wood, having been driven in by the north 



