76 
THE CONDOR 
Vol. XVI 
at all by me, but Merrill reports its occasional occurrence. He secured a speci- 
men in the spring of 1906, and another in the spring' of 1908. Two specimen.-; 
taken at Sitka by Bischoff are mentioned by Dali and Bannister (1869, p. 
302), and Finsch (1873, p. 86) speaks of a specimen from Sitka being in the 
Leyden Museum (probably quoted from Schlegel). 
Phalacrocorax pelagicus pelagpcus. Pelagic Cormorant. Fairly common 
everywhere on salt water, but, according to local observers, much less abundant 
than formerly. In 1912 a few pairs were nesting on the small islands off Biorka, 
and about one hundred and fifty pairs were breeding on St. Lazaria. In 1913, 
although I canvassed the latter island thoroughly, I failed to find a single occu- 
pied nest. The birds, mostly immatures, were plentiful around the island but 
were not nesting. Brightman informs me that fifteen years ago this bird nested 
in great numbers on St. Lazaria, and Grinnell (1898, p. 126) found them abund- 
ant in 1896. The only explanation I can offer for their diminishing numbers is the 
persistent depredations of the Northwestern Crow (Corviis canrinns) , which 
species appears to subsist to a great extent in summer on the eggs and young of 
the luckless cormorants. In 1912 I found the ground under the crows’ roosts lit- 
erally covered with the shells of cormorants’ eggs and I doubt if any of the cor- 
morants raised a full brood. 
Although the pelagic cormorants of this district have been referred to P. p. 
robustns, I find that the characters ascribed to that form are not to be found in 
a series of specimens taken. 
Mergus americanus. American Merganser. Not very common. I saw an adult 
male near Old Sitka, August 16, the only one personally noted. Merrill took a male 
near Sitka, October 20, 1908, and saw two birds that were shot in the same lo- 
cality in the spring of 1903. The species was also noted at Sitka by Bischoff 
( Dail and Bannister, 1869, p. 301). Two females with broods of young were 
seen by F. Stephens at Red Bluff Bay, Baranof Island, June 19, 1907, and a 
downy young was secured by J. Dixon in the same locality two days earlier. The 
species was seen once at Hooniah, Chichagof Island, the last week in June (Grin- 
nell. 1909, p. 193). 
Mergus senator. Red-breasted Merganser. Fairly common summer visitant. 
.\ccording to Merrill, appears in early Alay and leaves mostly in October. I noted 
this saw-bill in many different localities on both fresh and salt water, and saw 
broods of young at Tenakee Inlet, Chichagof Island, and Silver Bay, near Sitka. 
The flesh of this species was found to be very palatable, although by the time 
the birds arrive in California, they are generally strong-tasting and unfit to eat. 
Anas platyrhynchos. Mallard. Breeds in small numbers; abundant during 
migrations, and, according to Merrill, a few remain throughout the winter. In 
early September appeared in large numbers at mouths of streams, and was still 
abundant at the time of my departure in early October. Merrill states that, 
while he has never found the nest, he has noted downy young on several of the 
fresh water lakes in the vicinity. 
Chaulelasrtius streperus. Gadwall. Merrill secured a specimen of this duck 
at Lisianski Bay, near Sitka, September 22, 1911. This is the onlv record I have 
.seen for the region. 
Mareca americana. Baldpate. Apparently a rare migrant, much more plen- 
tiful along the mainland shore. Merrill took one specimen at Sitka in the fall. 
Nettion carolinense. Green-winged Teal. According to Merrill, abundant 
in spring and fall, less plentiful iiT winter, and a few remain through the sum- 
mer and breed around fresh water lakes. I found this species plentiful in com- 
