118 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE NATURAL HISTORY OF ALASKA. 



As soon as the bird is captured the native either breaks the small of the bird's back, or else bites 

 it in the head. This latter method is preferred for killing all kinds of large birds, and is more 

 practiced by the Aleuts, while the northern people break the back of the bird. When the native 

 returns home with a sufficient number of birds for his own and family necessity, the labor of taking 

 out the flesh begins. The beak is cut off just at the edge of the feathers, the meat, bones, and 

 everything else inside of the skin must come out at that hole. The wings are carefully drawn un- 

 til the humerus can be dislocated from the body. The wing is then cut off. The skin is now 

 turned inside out and the larger, adherent particles of flesh and fat are removed. The skins are 

 then hung up to dry uutil the severe weather of winter compels the women to remain within 

 doors. A certain liquid has been saved up for a considerable timeuntil it acquires a intolerable odor. 

 The skins are then soaked in this liquid until the oiliness and fatty parts are removed from 

 the skins, and if the person is able to purchase soap the skins are then washed in a strong suds. 

 If not washed in soapy water it matters little, as the greater part of the odor is removed by wash- 

 ing in some convenient creek until the person is tired, which occurs before long engaged. The 

 skins are then hung up to dry. After that the skins are carefully scraped ; and the tougher parts 

 chewed between the teeth to make them pliable. An Aleut woman will go on a visit to a neigh- 

 bor to have a Chy peet, or tea-party ; in the intervals of drink and gossip a bird-skin will be drawn 

 from beneath the folds of her garment ; and, she will then as complacently chew the skin as one of 

 our country dames will draw out her knitting and pipe to while- away the time. 



The number of skins used for aparlca, or long gown-like garment, with or without a hood, is 

 variable, according to the size and height of the wearer. A common-sized man requires the skins 

 of forty-five birds of the Puffin kind. The women and children require less. Forty-five skins are 

 usually bundled together and rated as one parka. 



The parka is worn with the feathers inside; and, when the garment is new, makes the wearer 

 quite conspicuous. The skins are cut down the back, leaving a straight edge, to which another is 

 sewed until the required length is obtained. On the edge of this strip another strip is added. 

 This will be heavy and inconvenient in sewing, so another pair of strips are sewed together until 

 the desired height of the garment is obtained. The arm pieces are made separately, and are the 

 last to be sewed on. The edges of the collar and sleeve are bound with cloth to prevent tearing. 

 The flesh side of the skin is then ornamented with stripes of paint of various colors, such as 

 vermilion, green, blue, or black. Before the iutroduction of dry paints the natives used various 

 colored rocks, which they powdered up and mixed with blood of the raven or other land-bird, and 

 applied it for ornamental purposes. A parka is expected to last for two years; but, in the soot- 

 begrimed houses, it soon becomes a receptacle for all dirt. The parka may be washed in water 

 occasionally; and, I believe this is only done when it becomes so infested with vermin that the 

 owner is afraid to put it down for fear it will walk off. A washed parka of nearly two years old 

 is a sorry -looking object. The long feathers are by that time mostly fallen off. A few patches of 

 down and skin are about all that remain. 



Before the advent of the Russians and the introduction of civilized clothing this parka was 

 the only garment worn by the Aleuts, and is now quite extensively used by the Attu men and 

 women. 



14. Fratercuia cornictjlata (Naum.). Horned Puffin. 



The Horned Puffin is abundant on all the shore line of Alaska south of the Arctic circle ; and, 

 in favored localities it abounds in incredible numbers. Their favorite resorts on land are the high, 

 precipitous walls of rock, which face the sea, or else the small islets which have their bases composed 

 of immense blocks of rocks thrown irregularly together. 



At Saint Michael's Island there are but few places affording suitable locations for them. On 

 Whale, Stewart's and Round Island, in that neighborhood, the abrupt nature of their outlines 

 form convenient harbors for this bird; hence they frequent those places in considerable numbers. 



AtCapeNewenham, on the northern side of Bristol Bay, I saw these birds in countless thousands 

 in June, 1878. They were constantly flying from the sea to the higher parts of that bold cape. 

 A few days after I saw them quite as plentifully in toward the head of Tugiak Bay. Later in 

 that month I saw them in thousands near Amak Island, just north of the western end of the Penin- 



