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Show 30 CAPT. H. W. FEILDEN ON THE BIRDS OF [Jan. 16, reached on the 25th of August: 81° 44'. There we saw several examples of Tringa canutus in small flocks, evidently migrating south. These birds were already in winter plumage. I also observed several Turnstones. On the 26th of August I found eight or ten pairs of Sterna macrura breeding on a small islet at the entrance to Discovery Bay. The land by this date was covered with autumn snow; but I found a downy living young one in a nest from which the old birds had scooped out the snow and piled around the depression. Sept. 1st, 1875, I observed a single Ivory Gull flying round the ship in Lincoln Bay; and during a pelting snow-storm, as we rounded Cape Union in 82° 15' a single Strepsilas interpres hovered for a short time under the lee of our ship. On that day we attained our highest northern latitude in the vessel, viz. 82° 28'; and as we ran in for shelter from the pack, between the shore and the grounded hummocks I saw a family party of Harelda glacialis, 7 or 8 in number, seated on a small piece of ice. Landing, I waded knee-deep through soft snow which then covered the shore, but failed to get a shot. I also saw a fine Larus glaucus, which I tried to stalk in vain. Sept. 2, a single Dovekie (Uria grylle) flew past the ship, flying south, the last of this species observed that year. Sept. 5th, Markham and Aldrich, at Dumbell Harbour, in lat. 82° 30', came across 11 Eiders, three old females and their broods, in a tide-crack. They killed five with their rifles, but were not able to get hold of any of them, the ice around the crack being too treacherous. They also observed a single Turnstone. Sept. 19th, a pair of Harelda glacialis alighted in a pool near the ship and were obtained. Sept. 29th, near Point Hercules, in lat. 82° 40', the autumn sledgers observed four Lagopus rupestris in winter plumage. Oct. 2nd, I observed a Snowy Owl seated on the top of a hummock, about a mile from our winter quarters. After this over five months elapsed before any feathered creature reappeared; but in the afternoon of the 1 1th March, 18/6, the quartermaster on watch reported three white birds as having flown past the ship. They were probably Lagopus rupestris, as a few days after, on the 1 7th, tracks of these birds were observed in the snow at various points within a few miles of the ship. On the 29th March Lieut. Parr saw a Snowy Owl, very wild. On the 13th May, 1876, I heard the first Snow-Bunting (Plectrophanes nivalis), as we lay in our tent on the floe at tbe base of a cliff. The note came from above, clear and musical, and each inmate of the tent started into a sitting posture, and said " Hush, hush, do you hear it?" One of the sailors said to me, "What bird is that, sir? it is sweeter than a throstle." On the return of the northern sledge-party, Lieut. Parr on the 27th M a y met with a straggling Snow-Bunting near to the 83° of N. lat. So this species can claim for itself the highest northern range yet recorded of any bird. June 5th, whilst travelling in lat. 82° 33', I observed the first Knots, Sanderlings, and Turnstones ; a flock of Brent Geese passed over our heads. June 6th, noticed first Long-tailed Skuas (Stercorarius longicaudatus). June 24th, noticed first Somateria spectabilis. |