Canada 
Victoria Memorial Museum 
Bulletin No. 40 
BIOLOGICAL SERIES No. 9 
BIRDS COLLECTED AND OBSERVED DURING THE CRUISE 
OF THE THIEPVAL IN THE NORTH PACIFIC , 1924 
(with systematic notes by p. a. taverner) 
INTRODUCTION 
During the spring of 1924, H.M.C.S. Thiepval, in laying the supply 
depots for the British world flight, made a circuitous voyage across the 
north Pacific and returned over the same route in the summer. As 
ornithologist to the expedition the writer had the opportunity for some 
field work in rather out-of-the-way places, and in the present paper a brief 
outline has been given of species taken or observed during the spring and 
summer. 
The return voyage in July and August offered little opportunity for 
field work, as after the premature ending of the British flight at Nikolski, 
Bering island, the Thiepval sailed directly for home, stopping only at 
Unalaska and Prince Rupert. 
Little information can be given of operations in Japan. The Japanese 
government would issue no permit for scientific collecting, and the field 
work was, therefore, moBt unsatisfactory. It was a pleasant experience 
to hear the skylarks singing above the fields and the cuckoos shouting their 
magic music through the green woods — the same music that inspired our 
English poets — but for the most part Japanese birds remained much of a 
mystery. It may be said, too, that birds here were found very shy and 
unapproachable. Even in harbour the Band-tailed Gulls seldom came 
very close to the ship, and only the raven — a useful scavenger of the city — 
took liberties around the dwellings of the people. 
GENERAL NOTES 
It was found that, at the date of leaving Esquimalt, the spring migrat- 
ory movement had scarcely more than begun. The main congregations of 
waterfowl wintering on the west coast were south of Vancouver island. 
One of the most extensive congregations of the spring was noted February 
28 along the island-protected waters between Victoria and Ladysmith, 
Vancouver island, where twenty species were counted, and most were well 
represented. Along the British Columbia and Alaskan coasts, and in the 
Aleutians, it was evident that all the populous bird centres in the well- 
sheltered bays and passages were composed for the most part of birds that 
had wintered there. Not until about April 10, when the Thiepval was 
making her way through wind-swept seas in the western Aleutians, was 
there sign of a pronounced spring movement northward. 
It was found that this movement was not increased in Komandorski 
islands and in Kamchatka, but diminished, owing to the colder weather, 
