7 
and in the night one boarded the ship and was secured. On the evening of 
August 9, as the Thiepval cut through Akutan pass between the island of 
that name and Unalga island, thousands of Least Auklets were streaming 
out to sea, as though coming from rock rookeries on the Akutan side. 
They skimmed the water always; when we came close upon them 
swimming, usually they dived. 
“On August 5 a Least Auklet, close to the bow, attempted to rise on 
the choppy water and failed. It dived for a moment to reappear some 
distance away, and on the wing. It is plain that these expert swimmers 
and divers can fly under water swiftly enough to give them the necessary 
start in taking off. In view of their massed flights into and out of the water, 
so often witnessed, it would seem that there is method in this scurrying 
over and into the water — a trait seemingly common to all the auklets. 
The cut of their wings, that are more paddle blades than pinions, bears 
this out. Doubtless in very rough water they dive out of the crest of the 
swell and get extra vantage in taking to the air.” 
On August 15, west of Forrester island, tiny auklets that might well 
have been Leasts were noted. 
3 Unalaska, Alaska. March 29, 1924 
9 100 miles north of Kyska island, Aleutian island. Augusts 
The male is closely comparable with the illustration of adult breeding plumage given by 
Nelson in “Cruise of Corwin, 1881,” p. 57. 
The female, however, is a very different looking bird and more what one would expect in 
a breeding plumage. The underparts are heavily clouded with soft, black spotting, strongest on 
flanks and across breast. The white throat is nearly obliterated and there iB no white on either 
secondaries or scapulars, the whole back being solid, even black. The face-plumes are moderately 
developed. I can find no such plumage as this described. 
Synthliboramphus antiquus (Gmelin). Ancient Murrelet 
This was one of the disappointments of the expedition. On July 15, 
30 miles south of Petropavlovsk, fifteen or twenty tiny swimmers of the 
black and white appearance of golden-eye downlings, were run down by 
the ship and gave only glimpses as they popped up and dived again. On 
the 19th, in the same waters, two more of the same were seen under slightly 
better conditions — the Thiepval having turned southward again. On 
August 6, far north of Kyska island, Bering sea, four more were seen close 
to the rail, and their voices, shrilly peeping, were plainly heard. Nothing 
more definite was seen of the bird. 
Brachyramphus perdix (Pallas). Partridge Murrelet 
Brachyramphus marmoratus perdix (Pallas). Hartert, p. 1779. 
Brachyramphus marmoratus (Gmelin). Stejneger, pp. 314, 337, 340. 
These little divers, which in all their actions, general appearance, and 
voices resemble the common Marbled Murrelet, were seen only in the bay 
at Petropavlovsk, Kamchatka, between July 21 and 31. In all cases they 
were in pairs or at least twos. At most about five pairs were seen. A very 
shrill cheep or whistle was their only note. The female, secured July 28, 
was of interest because she had the brood-patch bare, one-egg size, and 
doubtless was a breeding bird, though the condition of the ovary indicated 
that laying was past some time. 
6 Petropavlovsk, Kamchatka. July 21 
9 “ “ “ 28 
Very like our Marbled Murrelet, but with considerably longer bill. In summer plumage of 
general lighter cast with a whiter throat, a decided line showing where dark upper face and white 
lower face meet. 
