CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE NATURAL HISTORY OF ALASKA. 127 



A youug one scarcely able to fly was obtained at the " canal " on the 21st of July, 1875. It 

 had doubtless been reared at that place. 



They are rarely seen in large flocks, though a dozen may be seen at a time. I saw once a 

 flock of not less than seventy -five, on the 29th of October, 1876, flying northward past the redoubt. 

 They settled on the water of the bay for a few moments and took their flight farther northward. 



Their food consists of worms and aquatic insects. 



I examined the crops of eight specimens that were obtained July 21, 1875, and all were filled 

 with aquatic larvae of an insect that could not be determined. 



I bave never seen this bird hovering over the ponds like the Gulls and Terns. 



I observed this species at the month of the Kuskokvim River in June, 1878, and at Nushagak 

 and Tugiak, on Bristol Bay, in the same month. 



It is not found on the Aleutian Islands, except in rare instances, as I saw but one at Atkha 

 Island, in July, 1879, and one flying near the vessel off Kiska Island, in June, 1880. 



The young birds have a black bill and flesh-colored tarsi, toes, and web; claws black. 



The adults have a black bill with yellow tip, iris black, eyelids bright red ; tarsi, toes, and web 

 dark lead color; claws black. 



The Eskimo name of this bird is Na clm'thl ngd uk, and refers to the cap or hood of the bird. 



71. Sterna paradis^ea Briinn. Arctic Tern, 



The Arctic Tern is one of the earliest birds to arrive at Saint Michael's. The earliest date 

 recorded was April 25, a very early season, showing that the Terns only await the movement of the 

 sea-ice to appear in any locality. They become very abundant by the middle of May. They breed 

 on the low grounds, preferably a low, damp island, such as those at the northern end of the "canal.'' 

 On this place hundreds of nests were discovered in 1876. 



The nest is merely a bare spot on the ground ; sometimes a few blades of grass surround the 

 margin of the nest, but these seem to be more the result of cleaning off a bare spot than an attempt 

 to construct a nest. 



The eggs vary from one to two, never more. 



The Arctic Tern is so intimately associated with the Aleutian Tern, both in nesting habits and 

 procuring food, that the remarks for the one will apply for the other. Their nests are sometimes 

 placed within two feet of each other, and apparently without causing animosity between the species. 



The young are hatched in two and a half weeks, and are ready to fly by the first of August. 



These birds remain until the end of the first week in September, or some ten days later than 

 S. aleutica. 



They procure their food by flying over the water at a slight distance, the head constantly 

 twisting to one or the other side to scan the surface for small fish. With a sudden dash, sometimes 

 nearly disappearing beneath the water, the bird rarely fails to bring out the fish for which it dove. 



The Tern will sometimes not see a fish until it has flown past the object, and under such cir- 

 cumstances I have seen the bird turn a complete somersault and twist over right side up and dive 

 for the fish it had just passed. 



When they have completely wetted the surface of their plumage they halt for an instant, in 

 their flight, and a quick shiver causes the water to be shakeu off. 



They are frequently harassed by the large Skua Gulls or Jaegers (Stercorarii), which cause 

 the Terns to disgorge the contents of their crops. 



The Terns evince their displeasure by a defiant sanae. 



The bill of this bird is crimson; tarsi vermilion. The youug birds have flesh-colored bill 

 and feet. 



The Eskimo name of this Tern is Til Tcuthl Jcwi »/.-, and refers to its note. 



I have observed this bird at Kuskokvim River, Bristol Bay, Atkha Island, and at Attu 

 Island. Among the Aleutian islands it is not at all common, although more plentiful to the west- 

 ward portion of the chain. 



73. Sterna aleutica Baird. Aleutian Tern. 

 The Aleutian Tern arrives at Saint Michael's by the 1st of June, and remains until the latter 



