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TRANSACTIONS OF THE 
I frequently observed at St. Michael's a Stercorarius with an apparently 
even tail, but was at only one time near enough to observe it closely. 
I was walking on the beach, near the Fort, when I saw the bird engaged 
in eating a lish on the sand. It allowed nie to approach within about 
one hundred feet, and then rose, leaving its prey, a torn cod about nine 
inches long, and flew away. I was unfortunately without my gun, and 
therefore failed to secure the specimen. I had a chance, however, to 
see the tail feathers, which seemed to be all very nearly of a length. 
The size of the bird was apparently not greater than that of Sterc. par- 
asiticus, and the color was uniformly a brownish black, with a lighter 
spot on the wings. No white on the belly or neck, as in parasiticus. 
The Russian residents also described to me a rasbinik, or yager, 
entirely like S. parasiticus, excepting that it was darker underneath. 
This may possibly be the species, the projecting tail feathers having been 
worn off or lost in the individual mentioned above. B. 
17(i. stercorarius Buffoni Baird. (655.) Common at St. Michael's. 
All the specimens obtained of this species were shot on the ground. 
They have apparently a habit of sitting on the mossy tundra or heaths ; 
and I have followed one for over a mile at a time, he flying short dis- 
tances and alighting, but most provokingly keeping just out of range of 
ray gun, which was not very reliable for long shots. I have heard 
this habit of theirs, of alighting on the tundra, accounted for by the 
statement that they were eating the berries which abound in these situa- 
tions. I have thought myself that they might be after the eggs of other 
species, but never succeeded in finding them eating them, or in finding 
any nests in their vicinity. The reputation they have of sucking eggs is, 
however, very probably well deserved. 
I have never found the nests of this species, although, as the bird was 
common throughout the spring and summer months, it undoubtedly 
breeds in the vicinity of the Fort. B. 
Obtained by myself at the Yukon mouth, and by E. K. Laborne at 
Anadyr Gulf, E. Siberia. D. 
177. Larus glaucus Briin. (656.) Burgomaster. Not rare about 
St. Michael's, but does not ascend the river. J). 
178. Larus Hutchinsii Rich. (656a.) White Gull. Obtained at 
Fort Yukon by Mr. Lockhart. Not observed by any of our party. D. 
179. Larus glaucescens Licht. (657.) Glaucous Gull. Bischoff 
obtained specimens of this species at Sitka, and others at Kadiak. It is 
a common species on the west coast, from California northward. D. 
180. Larus leucopterus Briin. (658.) White-winged Gull. This 
gull is abundant on the Yukon below Anvik. Above that point it is 
rare, and replaced by Z. argentatus. The eggs were laid on the bare 
