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Mar., 1914 BIRDS OF SITKA AND VICINITY, SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA 73 most noteworthy of these and the time of their visits being as follows: F. H. von Kittlitz, summer of 1827; Ferdinand Bischoff, 'I865-66; Tarleton H. Bean, June, I88o: Joseph Grinnell and Joseph Mailliard? summer of 1896; Pr6f. W. T. Shaw, summer.of x9o6, and the Alexander Expedition to s9utheastern Alaska, summer of x9o7 . I have incorporated in this paper many items from the pub- lished notes of these observers, but have omitted a few early records which seem to me to be of doubtful authenticity. With a few exceptions I have followed the nomenclature adopted by the A. O. U. Committee in the Check-List of 191o, and supplement to the same. Colymbus holboelli. I-tolboell Grebe. Whether this species is a rare resident or only an occasional straggler in the Sitkan district, is a matter yet to be de- termined. I did not note it at all during 1912, but during 19? 3 saw it on Sitka Bay on three occasions, as follows: One bird near St. Lazaria Island, July 24; two birds near Sitka, August ?4, and Gne bird at Silver Bay, September 2?. The species was taken at Sitka by Bischoff during the Russo-American Telegraph Expedition (Dall & Bannister, ?869, p. 3o8). Oavia imraer. Common Loon. Noted frequently on salt water throughout the Sitkan district. Most plentiful after August 15. flavia pacifica. Pacific Loon. At no time during my stay was I able to posi- tively identify this species. Loons, while plentiful, were invariably wild, and I ?vas unable to approach close enough to distinguish the differences betxveen this species and the next. Grinnell (I898 , p. I24) records a specimen of the Pacific Loon taken at Sitka by Dr. Wilber, June 26, 1896. It is probably a regular mi- grant. flavia stellata. Red-throated Loon. Fairly common summer visitant on fresh water lakes. Plentiful on salt water during migrations. According to Merrill, a pair of these birds nest on Swan Lake, near Sitka, each year. They arrive about April 15, and the eggs are deposited about June I. During my stay in Sitka, this pair had young on the lake, and they could be seen many times each day flying directly over the town to the salt water in search of food. Their loud quacking notes could often be heard before the birds were visible. Lunda cirrhata. Tufted Puffin. Abundant resident. About two thousand pairs nesting on St. Lazaria Island. A few also nesting on small islets off Bior- ka Island. Grinnell (I898, p. I24) noted fresh eggs in the former locality Jnne I7, I896- At the time of my visits to the nesting grounds in late July and August, the nesting cavities nearly all contained young. l*ratercula corniculata. Hoi'ned Puffin. 'About a dozen pairs of these puffins were nesting on St. Lazaria Island. The nest cavities were located in the most inaccessible cliffs on the island. Not noted elsewhere in the vicinity. Cerorhinca monocerata. Rhinoceros Auklet. Fairly common on Sitka Bay throughout my stay. A colony of about two hundred pairs was nesting on St. Lazaria. The young were raised and the nesting colony deserted, however, be- fore the time of my arrival on the island in late July. In one burrow an adult bird and a nearly grown young were found dead, the nest cavity having been caved in by a bear and the birds either crushed or smothered (Willett, I912 , p. 423). The burrows of these birds are entirely different in construction and location from those of any of the other birds nesting on the island. They are much larger than those of the petrels, and longer and differently located than those of the puffins. The colony is well up toward the top of the island among the timber, and the burrows frequently run under logs and among the roots of the trees.