November, 1902. 
THE CONDOR 
139 
There may have been other species of jaegers at St. Michael but no specimens 
were taken. 
Larus glaucescens Naum. — About the bay at St. Michael, these large gulls 
were always present. A few were seen at Cape Denbigh where they had nests, 
judging from their actions. Large gulls were common also at Dutch Harbor and 
there were a few about the beach at Nome City. 
Rissa tridactyla pollicaris Ridgway. — This elegant gull was very abundant in 
St. Michael Bay from the time of our arrival, and considerable numbers were 
about the ship at all times. At Egg Island, July 14, they were nesting in a small 
colony apart from the murres and puffins. Their nests were of dry weeds on the 
face of a low cliff. September 24 another visit was made to the same colony and 
the gulls were abundant, resting on their old nests. When driven off they sailed 
up the wind in a compact flock. About one-half of them were in immature plum- 
age. The species was nesting abundantly at Cape Denbigh. 
Sterna paradisasa Brunn. — The arctic tern was observed most abundantly at 
Pathfinder Rock where several examples were taken July 17. A typical nest was 
a depression one inch deep by five inches in diameter, lined with dry grass and 
weed stalks. One nest was on top of a flat rock; all others were on the ground 
surrounded by grass. Occupied nests contained complements as follows: No. i — 
one pipped egg; No. 2 — one pipped egg and one young; No. 3 — two eggs, incubation 
advanced; No. 4 — two eggs, incubation begun; No. 5 — one egg, incubation ad- 
vanced; No. 6 — one egg, incubation advanced. 
There were a great many empty nests, probably explained by the fact that 
some prospectors had been over the island. I found a dozen single eggs on top of 
a rock where some one had left them. They ranged from fresh in one specimen 
to heavily incubated. Measurements of six of these are here given in inches and 
hundredths: 1.48x1.16; 1.52x1.10; 1.58x1.21; 1.61x1.13; 1.65x1.13; 1.56x1.16. The 
species was also secured at Toik Point and was seen in Norton Bay. 
A chick just out of the shell may be described as follows: throat black; breast 
white, becoming very dusky on abdomen; upper parts and flanks mottled with 
about equal parts of black and buffy; lining of wing white. 
Sterna aleutica Baird. — A single female of this species was secured at Path- 
finder Rock, where it was shot from a large flock of arctic terns. I believe the 
species was nesting on the island although no eggs were identified with certainty. 
Phalacrocorax pelagicus robustus Ridgway. — As Bishops records the Violet- 
green Cormorant from Whale Island, I refer all I saw to this species. They were 
seen in abundance only on Besboro Island, though a small colony may have nest- 
ed on Egg Island. A sprinkling of cormorants nested among the gulls and murres 
on the bold head of Cape Denbigh and single birds were seen at various localities 
along the coast. No specimens were taken. 
Anas boschas Linn. — Numerous ducks were bought for the messes of our ship. 
The only species identified was a mallard taken in September. 
Arctonetta fischeri (Brandt). — A single duck of this species was shot on Egg 
Island, September 24. When first seen it was resting on a point of rocks and was 
shot while swimming away. At St. Michael in July I saw a duck which may 
have been Somatei'ia v-iiigra. 
Somateria v-nigra. Gray. — Several downy ducks were taken on the ponds 
near Island Point, August 24. One of these has been identified as the Pacific 
eider by Dr. C. W. Richmond. 
I. N, A. Fauna no. 19, lids, of Yukon Region p. 61 
