At Kaolak River (July 12-19, 1951) gulls occasionally cruised up or down the river, but did not remain in the area. When we flew from the mouth of Canning River Canyon to Umiat (July 16, 1952) the only glaucous gulls noted were in the vicinity of the Colville River. At the Will Rogers Monument 12 miles southwest of Barrow Village (July 18, 1951), 275 glaucous gulls were at the mouth of one of the streams entering the Arctic Ocean, and 50 miles southwest from Point Barrow along the ocean six gulls flew over the water where a muddy stream from the land was discharging into the Arctic Ocean. On July 20, 400 of these gulls were near the Arctic Research Laboratory and in the large lake southwest of camp. At Kaolak (July 21-27, 1951) five to eight birds remained near camp. Along the larger creeks they flew by approximately every two hours.
On an air trip along the Arctic Ocean 56.2 miles southwest of Barrow Village (July 27, 1951) we counted 312 gulls, most or all glaucous gulls, in small groups as follows: average size of flock, 34(2-70); average distance between flocks, 5.8(1.9-13.6) miles. A large flock of 188 glaucous gulls, on this date, was in the environs of Barrow Village and the Arctic Research Laboratory. On an airflight between Point Barrow and Smith Bay (July 29, 1951) we observed three groups (1-2-7) equally spaced between the two points. The glaucous gulls were seen in only small numbers at Barrier Lake (July 29-Aug. 4, 1951) generally as individuals or groups of two or three, and frequently were harassed by jaegers. On August 3, a glaucous gull on three occasions inspected but did not touch a freshly killed pectoral sandpiper floating on the surface of the water. On a flight from Teshekpuk Lake to Point Barrow (Aug. 4, 1951) we observed groups of gulls as follows: one at 40 miles (miles are from Point Barrow), four at 34 miles, four at 10 miles and twenty-three at 8 miles. At Driftwood (Aug. 27-31, 1952) groups of from one to 12 glaucous gulls were seen every day. At Umiat (Aug. 30-Sept. 4, 1951) several birds were flying up and down the river. In 1952 (July 18) at 10 miles east of Umiat we observed a single bird. On August 25, 1952, at Point Barrow, 33 glaucous gulls [flew] along the edge of the Arctic Ocean. Between Birnirk and Point Barrow (Sept. 11, 1952) a group of 230 glaucous gulls rested along the shore of the Arctic Ocean. Glaucous gulls were noted also at the following places in the Point Barrow area (1952): west side Salt Water Lagoon, June 17; 9⁄10 mile east and 8⁄10 mile north Barrow Village, June 23; 1 mile southwest Barrow Village, September 6; ½ mile south Arctic Research Laboratory, September 7.
Larus canus brachyrhynchus Richardson: Mew gull.—Specimens, 2: SE Lake Peters, 69°20'56", 145°09'26", 2950 ft., 1 imm. female No. 31314 (Aug. 6, 1952) and one adult female 31313 (Aug. 9, 1952).
At the southwest end of Lake Schrader, from July 23 to 31, 1952, a pair of mew gulls defended a territory and two young in the marsh bordering the edge of the lake and flew to meet us whenever we approached. They were active day and night. On August 3, 4, and 5, the female of this pair fed at the mouth of the river that flowed into the south end of Lake Peters 4.9 miles south of the nesting territory. On August 6, both adults and the two juveniles were at the south end of Lake Peters. The young called frequently and the adults, when we came near their young, called loudly and dived at us, but remained higher in the air than they did when protecting their young on the nesting territory. On August 6, the female (435 mm long and 290 grams in weight) was shot and prepared as a specimen. The two juveniles and the male remained in the area and on August 9, one of the juveniles (female) 422 mm in length and 362 grams in weight, was shot. On August 12 the male and one juvenile were still in the same area, and active day and night.
Pagophila eburnea (Phipps): Ivory gull.—Pete Savolik told us that whenever the pack ice came near shore at Point Barrow, a few ivory gulls were generally present.
Rissa tridactyla pollicaris Ridgway: Black-legged kittiwake.—Specimen, 1: 7½ mi. S and 7 mi. W Point Barrow, 156°49', 71°17', sea level, 1 (skin) No. 31315 of an adult of unknown sex, September 6, 1952.
The kittiwakes (Sept. 6, 1952), were in the air along the Arctic Ocean at Barrow Village and all along the coast at least as far as a point 10 miles southwest of Barrow Village (only a few were seen northeast of Barrow Village) and were feeding on material floating in the pre-breaker area of the ocean and to a lesser extent on debris washed up on the sands of the beach.
Xema sabini sabini (Sabine): Sabine's gull.—Specimens, 8: 7½ mi. S and 7 mi. W Point Barrow, 156°49', 71°17', sea level, 1 (skin) No. 31316, ad. male, Sept. 6, 1952; Topagaruk, 155°48', 70°34', 10 ft., 7, Nos. 30740-30746 including 4 ad. males and 3 ad. females, July 6, 8, 9, 1951.
At Topagaruk the species was seen daily from July 4 through July 10, 1951. Six adults were nesting on July 5. They constituted less than one per cent of the avian population inhabiting stabilized lakes of medium size. On July 8, one nest held young. When we approached the nesting grounds they flew 150 feet to meet us and then returned, hovered, or flew directly over their nests. One nest was on an island one foot in diameter; other islands inhabited were as large as one square meter. The vegetation at the nest was bright green and lawnlike because of trampling and fertilization of the grasses and sedges by the birds. Correspondingly green, lawnlike areas of grass were noted on the resting grounds of ducks and geese. The Sabine's gull and Arctic tern are compatible and nest within 20 feet of each other. The young freely circulate through each other's territory. The average weight of three adult males (July 6-8) was 202(190-214) grams. The average length of the testes of these birds was 10(8-14) mm. Four adult females collected at the same place and time weighed 177(158-190) grams. The ovaries averaged 8 mm long and the largest ovum was 2.8(2.0-4.5) mm in diameter.
At Kaolak River on July 17, 1951, one gull flew along the river but did not seem to be nesting in the area. On July 20, 1951, 105 miles southwest of Point Barrow, we observed Sabine's gulls, Arctic tern and several pairs of loons on one lake. On a return trip from Kaolak to Point Barrow by air (July 27, 1951), we found Sabine's gulls generally distributed across the Coastal Plains. On an air trip from Point Barrow to Teshekpuk Lake on July 29, 1951, we noted two Sabine's gulls, one 9.7 miles southeast of Point Barrow and one 5.9 miles northwest of the central western edge of Smith Bay.