220 О. HELMS. 
and are about the only species of which Petersen remarks that they 
are Just as numerous at Angmagsalik as on the West Coast. The many 
large and small lakes abounding in fish on Angmagsalik Island itself 
and here and there in the district offer them suitable breeding places. They 
usually arrive in May and depart in September. Both species are of the 
typical circumpolar birds and have been met far to the north in East 
Greenland, although not in the most northerly districts. 
Petersen has occasionally mentioned as breeding birds in the Ang- 
magsalik district the Cormorant and the Little Auk, but we have no 
definite information of their breeding. 
The breeding birds at Angmagsalik may be divided into two groups: 
those which are migratory birds and regularly leave Greenland under 
all circumstances, and those which are stationary birds as long as it 
is possible for them to remain; in other words, those which remain until 
frost, ice, snow, and the consequent lack of food, compel them to depart. 
All the small birds are migratory birds proper; so are also the 
Peregrine Falcon, the Ringed Plover, the Rednecked Phalarope, the 
Terns and the two kinds of Divers. Of the other species it is true to a 
greater or lesser extent that they stay in the district as long as circum- 
stances permit and are only driven away by force of necessity. The 
consequence is that nothing can be said with certainty as to their abiding 
in winter; some winters they quite disappear, so that from December 
to March the country lies desolate and bare of all bird-life; other winters 
there are many Ptarmigan on the mountains and, following them, 
the Falcons, whilst on the waters may be seen crowds of Gulls, Ducks 
and Diving birds. A list of the breeding birds is as follows: 
Mallard; Long-tailed Duck; Harlequin Duck; Common Eider; 
Redbreasted Merganser; Ptarmigan; Great Northern Diver; Red- 
throated Diver; Ringed Plover; Purple Sandpiper; Red-necked Pha- 
larope; Glaucous Gull; Iceland Gull; Great Black-backed Gull; Kitti- 
wake Gull; Arctic Tern; Black Guillemot; Greenland Falcon; Peregrine 
Falcon; Raven; Meadow Pipit; White Wagtail; Greenland Wheatear; 
Greenland Redpoll; Snow Bunting; Lapland Bunting. 
Species which possibly breed occasionally are named as the Com- 
mon Plover, Turnstone, Whimbrel, Cormorant and Little Auk. 
The definitely breeding species number 26, which by no means 
can be called a high figure. 
В. Birds Which Regularly Visit Angmagsalik 
During Migration. 
The second group of birds is formed of those which breed further 
to the north, in Greenland, and which more or less regularly visit Ang- 
