CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE NATUEAL HISTOEY OF ALASKA. 119 



sula of Aliaska. This is the beginning of the area of their greatest abundance. All the Aleutian 

 Islands, with their adjacent islets, form an east and west extension of a continuous breeding 

 ground of these birds for over a thousand miles in length. The Pribylof Group, Saint Mathew's 

 Island and Saint Lawrence Island are also great breeding places of these Puffins. 



Their nests are placed on the ledges of the highest cliffs of those islands where foxes are found, 

 and on islands where foxes are not found these birds breed generally at the bases of bluffs, un- 

 der the large rocks which have become detached and fallen down. Their nest is composed of just 

 whatever happens to be there, be it sticks, stones, or earth. A few feathers may be dropped from 

 the bird, but not for an evident purpose of nest construction. A single egg of clear white color 

 is laid on the bare gravel or earth. The egg is very large for the size of the bird, and when cooked 

 is tolerable eating. The bird sits long at a time on the egg, and does not leave it until hunger com- 

 pels her to seek food. Their food is composed of mollusks of various kinds, a few shreds of cer- 

 tain sea- weed fronds, and larvoe, which are abundant on some of these sea- weeds. 



The young leave the nest before being able to fly. The parent assists them to the water; and, 

 should they have been reared on the face of a high bluff, the old bird catches the young one by 

 the wing and they flutter at a long angle to the water. The old bird endeavors to keep under the 

 young one. I have seen them drop their young accidentally and cause great consternation of the 

 parent, which could'not check her flight immediately, but returned and showed great solicitude by 

 turning the young one over and over in the water to see if it was injured. During severe storms 

 the young are taken to the lee of some reef or islet until the waves become quiet. 



Early in the morning these birds quit the shores and go out to sea to hunt their food. 

 Late in the afternoon they return. For several hours these birds keep a constant stream on tbe way. 

 They frequently go many miles from land, and should a fog prevail they return with unerring cer- 

 tainty to their particular locality. This Puffin is constantly associated with L. cirrhata, and, in 

 general habits, agree with it, though the former is more difficult to obtain. The skins of this bird 

 are used to a great extent in making articles of clothing for some of the western Aleuts and some 

 of the natives near the Yukon Delta and southward. 



The Eskimo name of this Puffin is Ka tu'kh pick, and signifies Big white-breast. 



16. Ptychoramphus aleuticus (Pall.). Casshi's AuJclet. 



A specimen of this Auklet was obtained at Atkha Island, June 23, 1879. The bird was brought 

 by a fisherman who lives at Old Harbor, on the northeast end of Atkha Island. He reported this 

 species to be not abundant, yet common and breediug there. 



17. Cyclorrhynchus psittacultjs (Pall.). Paroquet Auklet. 



No specimen of this Auklet was obtained or seen at Saint Michael's. Among the Aleutian 

 Islands it is abundant, and breeds in all suitable places along the chain. It is not sociable, being 

 rarely seen in flocks of more than three or four, and more often solitary. 



This species is more abundant among the central portions of the Aleutian chain than else- 

 where, and is plentiful on Agattu Island; rare on the other islands of that group, though not 

 resident. 



18. Simorhynchus CRISTATELLUS (Pall.). Crested Auklet. 



The Crested Auklet was observed on two occasions at Saint Michael's. It is very rare in that 

 immediate vicinity, though it doubtless occurs in other localities near that place. 



At Bristol Bay and on the northern side of Aliaska I saw numbers of these birds. 



Among the Aleutian Islands this Auk is extremely abundant. They resort to the outlying 

 islets and rocks away from the larger bodies of land. 



I failed to obtain their eggs, for the reason that the nest is placed far under huge rocks, or iu 

 the deep, inaccessible crevices. 



This species remains, in few numbers, among the waters surrounding the Aleutian Islands, but 

 in the summer season is greatly more numerous, especially so among the more western islauds. 



The iris is white, feet dusky, bill crimson with a horn-blue tip. The colors of the bill become 

 intensified upon drying. 



