CONTEIBUTIONS TO THE NATUEAL HISTOEY OF ALASKA. i29 



for wrapping round his spear heads. At Attu I saw two specimens that were killed in the latter 

 part of March, 1881. The wings had been cut off and the body partly plucked of feathers. This 

 species passes the winter in this locality and may be found, during very severe weather, about the 

 western end of the island of Attu. I received a head (by which the species was identified) from 

 Nushagak, on Bristol Bay, in September, 1878. 



This species undoubtedly breeds near some of the places mentioned as having been observed. 



86 b. Fulmarus glacialis glupischa (Stejn.). Pacific Fulmar. 



Hundreds of thousands of these birds were seen off Unimak Pass and the eastern end of 

 Unalashka Island ; in fact, they covered acres of water. The dark form prevailing in number, 

 while the remainder were of the light form. To the westward I have seen them less abundant 

 though still very numerous, near Segnam Island, Kiska, Amchitka, Atkha, and plentiful at 

 Semichi. 



The habits of this bird are very strange. They are seldom seen during stormy weather and 

 then only individual birds. During calm periods these birds sit, some few miles from the land, on 

 the water and will scarcely endeavor to avoid a vessel drifting through their midst. I have never 

 seen a live bird of this species either on or over the land. Where a bird, so abundant as this, 

 breeds or what its specific habits are I am unable even to conjecture. 



With these birds are associated, in a manner, another bird of which I obtained, at Amchitka 

 Island, a single specimen, which had been thrown up dead by the sea and so far advanced in decom- 

 position that to lift it separated the members of its body. This dead bird resembled those asso- 

 ciated with the Pacific Fulmars and was, so far as possible to identify it, a specimen of Puffinus ten- 

 uirostris Temm. Natives of Attu, who were with me on Amchitka Island, informed me that birds 

 of this kind (like the dead one) breed plentifully on the Semichi Islands. 



105. Oceanodroma FURCATA (Gmel.). Forlc-tailed Petrel. 

 A single specimen of this Petrel was brought to me by a native who had killed it while out in 

 his bidarka (canoe) hunting seals off Stewart's Island. They are said to be rare in this locality, 

 though abundant far out to sea. I had observed many of this species while I was traveling among 

 the Aleutian Islands. They are rarely seen near land. The Atkha people assert that these birds 

 breed abundantly on the cliffs of Korovinsky volcano, on the northeast shoulder of Atkha Island. 

 I have seen this species as far westward as Attu Island. At Atkha a native brought me a specimen 

 of this bird, but it had been kept so long before an opportunity occurred to permit his return to 

 the village that the bird was too far advanced in decomposition to allow the skin to be taken off. 

 The Eskimo name of this bird is Icxi tic, and means oil-eater. They assert that this bird skims 

 the water for traces of oil which may have flowed from a wounded seal or whale, and that large 

 flocks of them will follow the floating carcass of a seal for that purpose. 



1206. Phalacrocorax dilophus oincinatus (Brandt). White-crested Cormorant. 



The White-crested Cormorant is a visitor to Saint Michael's by the tenth of June. It does not 

 occur in great numbers in that vicinity ; only few breed here. At Besborough Island, some forty 

 miles north of Saint Michael's, this bird breeds in abundance on the walls of that almost inac- 

 cessible island. 



A young bird of this species was obtained October 2, 1876. The gular sack is yellow, bill pale 

 with darker cnlmen; feet and webs black. Iris dark gray. The Eskimo name of this Cormorant is 

 Man wthl led lilc, and means tongue cut off short. 



The white plumes on the head of this Cormorant, in the breeding season, are used by the ki- 

 ll abitauts of the Aleutian Chain to adorn the small sacks (used as work-bags) made by the Aleut 

 Avomen. The feathers of the neck are also used for the same purpose. 



123. Phalacrocorax pelagicus Pall. Pelagic Cormorant. 



In most localities of the Aleutian Islands this form is extremely numerous. Along these islands 

 the bird is a constant resident, apparently more numerous in winter than in summer. 



It breeds on all the principal islands. The nest is usually placed on a ledge of some bold- 

 S. Mis. 155 17 



