COM El BE TI OSS TO THE NATEEAL HlSTOBY OF ALASKA. 123 



portions of the lowlands, usually solitary, though several may be seeD at one time in the neighbor, 

 hood. When not on the wing they may be seeu sitting on an elevated tussock of grass watching 

 for insects. They seek their food by wandering over great areas, generally the chains of lakes. 

 Anj refuse matter, small fish or wounded bird, is eagerly seized by them. When sitting on the 

 water the buoyancy of this bird is such that it seems to scarcely touch the surface of the water. 

 The iris of this bird is dark brown, tarsi and toes bluish, web and soles black. 



37. Stercorarius parasiticus (Linn.) Parasitic Jaeger. 



The Parasitic Jaeger arrives at Saint Michael's about the same time as the other species. This 

 species frequents the water more than the Pomariue Jaeger. It searches the beach, bays, and 

 lakes for food, which consist of fishes that may have been cast on the beach, shell fish, and 

 other animal food. They also eat the berries of Empetrum nigrum. They harass the Gulls and 

 terns, causing them to disgorge the food which they have just swallowed. Ou one occasion I saw 

 two of this species attempt to chase a Gull, L. barrovianus, which is not an active bird on the 

 wing, but ou this occasion was iu a bad humor. Amidst the fiercest screams the Gull succeeded 

 in putting both the Jaegers to flight, and pursuit was continued for several huudred yards. 



I was out one evening, just as the sun had disappeared behind the hills. When I came to the 

 chain of lakes back of Saint Michael's, I observed several muskrats swimming in one of the shallow 

 lakes. After I had watched them for some time, I shot one and too'c off its skin, which I threw 

 on the surface of the water. A gentle wind drove it several yards from me. 1 was about to go 

 elsewhere, when I observed a bird, half a mile off, making directly for me. I recognized it to be a 

 Jaeger, which, with scarcely a movement of its wings, drove straight for the piece of muskrat-skin. 

 It seized the skin in its beak and then passed it to its claws, by which it carried it off a little 

 distance and began to strip the adhering muscle and fat from it. This bird was certainly pos- 

 sessed of keenest eyesight. These birds are said to breed on the faces of high bluffs. I never 

 saw the nests or eggs. This bird is a frequent visitor to the Aleutian Islands. I observed it at 

 Atkha July 17, lb7!», and again in June, 1880, at the same place. A few days after I saw one 

 flying near the vessel while off Kiska Island. At the Seraichi Islands it breeds abundantly, ac- 

 cording to the assertions of the natives. I have seen the bird on several occasions near Chichagof 

 Harbor, Attu lslaud, but it visits only this island from Agattu and Semichi. 



At Amchitka Island 1 saw several of these birds sitting on the hillocks and tussocks of grass. 

 They were at this place exceedingly shy, and would under no circumstances permit me to approach 

 within gunshot. During fine weather these birds have the habit of sitting for a long time in an 

 apparent doze. Of the many individuals seen on the Aleutian Islands I have never observed that 

 activity of this bird which characterizes it in the Yukon district. 



The Eskimo have many traditions connected with this bird. They ascribe great prowess 

 and bravery to it. In the earliest times this bird was a cannibal, and is now called A hlukh tayoo 

 le, and means thief, because it formerly stole men. The iris of this bird is brown, tarsi and toes 

 blue, web and soles black, claws black, beak blackish. 



38. Stercorarius longicaudus Vieill. Long-tailed Jaeger. 



The Long-tailed Jaeger arrives several days previous to the appearance of its congeners. The 

 18th of May, 1875, was a day of special abundance. 1 killed nine of them that day, and did not 

 walk out of an area bounded by thirty yards square. On their first arrival they are somewhat gre- 

 garious, though this may be due to the limited portions of ground free from snow. At this time the 

 little pools of the low ground are being rapidly thawed out; many cracks in the heaving sea-ice 

 expose the water to view. These places are then scanned for food. Wheu the ice in the lakes and 

 larger ponds is melted, these birds usually are hovering iu the vicinity, or seated on some knoll 

 watching a gull or tern dive for a tish. The Jaeger gives chase, uttering a scream that frightens 

 the gull or tern, and causes it to disgorge the tish. The Jaeger is extremely swift on wing, and 

 when pursuing another bird thrashes the air with wing and tail, giving an undulatory motion to 

 the body. These birds may frequently be seen sitting ou a solitary rock, exposed in some shallow 

 tide lagoon, or else walking along the beach, in search of food cast up by the sea. 



Their nests and eggs were not obtained by me. They are said to build on the cliffs and bluffs 



