Hessian Langsdorff Documented Northern Pacific Birds in 1805-1806

A great Russian scientific expedition voyaged around the known world in the first few years of the 1800s. Led by Ivan Fedorovich Kruzenshtern, a prominent participant was George Heinrich von Langsdorff.

The official government voyage travelled to a number of foreign lands from 1803 to 1806. But, apparently in early 1806, some members of the expedition chose to undertake further travels south from the Russian village at New Archangel in Alaska, to other known places further down on the North Pacific coast.

According to the chronicles, Baron Langsdorff and the Chamberlain Von Resanoff, purchased the hearty ship Juno from John D'Wolf, an American captain, and apparently using charts made by Captain George Vancouver, sailed southward from New Archangel, also known as Sitka on the coast on the eastern side of the Gulf of Alaska.

The Hessian aristocrat Langsdorff, also known in his homeland as Grigori Ivanovitch, wrote in his memoirs about the entire adventure of 1803-1807, and which actually ended in 1808 after overland travel to Petersburg. The young man was 31 years old in 1805, and had graduated in a learned manner in medicine and natural history, from the Univesity of Gottingen, Germany. His accolades included a membership in the Russian Imperial Academy of Sciences.

The voyage of interest began on the evening of June 13, 1805 when an assorted group of men sallied forth on the well-laden galliot Maria from Awascha Bay, at Kamschatka. The "crew" of sixty was "composed of adventurers, drunkards, bankrupt traders, and mechanics, or branded criminals in search of fortune."

The 150-ton vessel steadily made its way eastward, past Bering Island and across the straits to the islands and Russian settlements in North America.

During the duration of the voyage, the steady hand of von Langsdorff wrote observations and anecdotes which now, more than two hundred years later, can be appreciated for the intimate and profound details of a long-gone era.

The Alaska observations start in early July, back in 1805.

"On the second of July, in the morning, we saw a vast number of sea-birds about the ship, most of which belonged to the colymbus, larus, and pelican species. Towards noon we had reached, according to our reckoning, the place in which the island of St. George is laid down in the maps; that is, latitude 50^o 20' north, longitude 169' west. The numberless flights of seabirds, the shoals of seals and sea-bears, phoca tarsma, and the lead, which gave us thirty-five fathom of water, all indicated the neighbourhood, of land. The wind had increased so much, with a thick fog and heavy rain, that we were obliged to use the utmost circumspection in order to keep at a proper distance from the supposed land. We could, scarcely see a sea mile round us, and night closed in without our having discerned the island."

The narrative mentions that though there was an apparent decrease in the number of birds, the Island of St. Paul was a "rendezvous of millions of sea-birds, which assemble from every part of the widely extended ocean between Asia and America to lay their eggs and hatch their young."

The Russian fur-hunters took advantage of the opportunity to collect vast amounts of eggs.

"The Russian fur-hunters profit exceedingly by this circumstance, and next to the flesh of the sea-bears, which, in summer fresh and in winter dried, constitute so essential an article of their subsistence, nothing affords them so great a supply of food as eggs of these birds, and that for a very great part of the year. The whole hunting party is busied in spring for days, and even weeks, in the dangerous task of collecting them. They climb up the steep cliffs to the height of thirty or forty toises with baskets, and take the eggs from the nests. When a sufficient number is collected, they are washed quite clean, and dried in the air, then put into casks, and the vessels being filled up with oil carefully purified, they are put by for use. In this manner they are kept for the greatest part of the year, and eat as sweet and fresh as if they were newly laid. The eggs of the colymbus or guillemot are preferred before all others, as the largest and best flavoured."

"During our short stay, I observed the following birds among those that make their nests here. The alca cirrhata, or tufted auk; the alca arctica, or puffin, the alca pygmaea, or pygmy auk; sterna hirundo, or sea-swallow; several species of larus, or sea-mews, and procellaria, or peterels; and the colymbus, or guillemot: these were in immense numbers. I saw, besides, the pelicanus urile, and some others of the same genus. It would no doubt have been easy during a longer stay, and by a closer examination, to have found many other rare and curious objects."

During their visit, the members of the exploratory group partook of eating eggs, and then more of the same as they were present at the appropriate time. The narrative says the crew rejoiced about the provisions, as they were "diseased and half-starved."

Island of Oonalashka

It was summer-time when this crew was sailing the seas of the Russian territory at the far-eastern extent of the northern Pacific Ocean.

The journal by the Hessian aristocrat continued to convey the details of the days which provide the particulars of birds present.

On one languid day, he wrote:

"Wild-geese and ducks come in such abundance in spring and autumn, that a large quantity of them are salted and smoked for winter food; but the Aleutians appear to prefer the fat of the sea-dog or whale very much to a salted and smoked goose. Some of the neighbouring rocks serve as the rendezvous of a great number of sea-fowl of the colymbus, larus, alca, and pelecanus species, with many others. The eggs of these birds are collected, as in the Island of St. Paul, and preserved in the same way for winter stores."

Shortly thereafter in the narrative were some exquisite details about how bird skins were so important in making garments suitable for keeping warm in the frigid weather of the great north.

"The clothing of the men and women is nearly the same, and consists commonly of a sort of carter's frock, or shirt, fastened round the neck with a broad stiff collar. These garments are made of the skins of sea-dogs or several sorts of birds, particularly of the sea-parrots, as they are called, the alca cirrhata and alca arctica, and the sea-raven, pelecanus urile; they are prepared in a manner peculiar to themselves, and sewed together very ingeniously. Though simple in their form, they are ornamented in a variety of ways, either with glass-beads, with the beaks of the sea-parrots, or with long strips of sea-dog and sea-otter skins. The seams are often ornamented with stripes of thin leather ingeniously worked, or dyed of gaudy colours. Long white goat's hair, which is brought from Siberia hither as an article of trade, or small red feathers, are also interwoven into the seams. These feather garments, on which a person is sometimes employed a whole year before they are completed, appear to me wrought with an ingenuity and industry which would not shame an European artist; they are called parka, and are worn sometimes with one side outwards sometimes with the other. In times of rain the feathers are turned outwards; but in cold and dry weather they are turned in wards, instead of fur."

An urge to explore drove the men onward, with Kodiak Island the next prominent place in the chronicle. The place had other monikers: Kadjak, Kuktak, or the Great Island. However it was known, it is a prominent place for historic notes for what can be considered as a prominent feature, the sea-fowl.

Birds being killed for food or used for other essential uses were documented, starting with their use to make garments which helped the people to survive.

"The principal garment of the people of Kodiak, which they call a konagen, is of the same form as that worn by the other Aleutians, and is made, like theirs, of sea-dogs skin, or of the skins of sea-fowl, particularly the alca arctica, alca cirrhata and pelecanus urile. But as Kodiak is richer in natural productions than the other islands lying more to the west, the inhabitants find more resources for satisfying their wants; they make use, for example, of bear-skins for their dresses, and use also the entrails of bears, as well as of sea-dogs, for their rain garments. Instead of the wooden caps worn at Oonalashka, they make head-dresses of straw and bark of trees, which are woven together very ingeniously, and dyed in various ways with different coloured ochres."

During a brief visit, the Russian nonetheless noted a fine variety of bird species.

"I scarcely saw any land or singing birds, but marsh and water-fowl are every where in the greatest abundance. Swans, geese, ducks, cranes, herons, auks, guillemots, plovers, and many others, come in innumerable flocks, both in spring and autumn; and the magpye; which among us is very shy and timid, is here as familiar as a sparrow, perching often upon the house-tops."

Winter arrived and Baron de Langsdorff and his party of men were safely escounsed where food and shelter were sufficient and they could survive, and wait till the spring when weather was suitable to continue their exploratory travels.

Their haven was Sitcha, or perhaps in the lexicon of modern times, Sitka, on the southern peninsula of Alaska. It was also called New Archangel, at Norfolk Sound.

In his "blind zeal for Natural History," von Langsdorff did not stay inside any place. He went outdoors to look for new discoveries. The particulars - of course - went into the account of his voyage. With his "habitation a miserable little chamber, with scarcely any furniture, and so far as being weather-tight, that in heavy showers the rain comes through directly upon my bed," he wrote. And he had to share this with a hunter.

He wrote about the times: "My principal occupation, as soon as I had settled myself, was to shoot water-fowl, in which I have found the double advantage that the flesh has served me for food, and that the skins are preserved as objects of Natural History. Happily for me, there was a tolerable supply of powder and shot in the magazines, though indeed sometimes it has not been without difficulty that I could obtain any, even by paying for it. At first I did not understand very well the nature of these things, and made my requests to the under-overseers with modesty and timidity. At length I began to assume an authoritative tone, and found myself by that means often in possession of objects which at first I had been positively assured were not included in the stores. Among the things obtained by this kind of bullying was a leather boat, or baidafka, without which I should never have been able to carry on my hunting and water parties to much purpose."

Birds were an obvious part of the forays into the local environs, especially into the local waters.

"In my numerous shooting parties, the following birds fell more particularly under my observation.

"Anas histrionica. This beautiful species of ducks first appeared about the end of September, and stayed in the Sound all the winter ; they are very rapid in their flight, extremely shy, and are seldom seen in companies of more than four, or at the utmost six.

"Anas perspicillata. These ducks, which are very rare in Europe, are also not to be seen till the end of September : they come then in great abundance and in large flocks. They fly in the evening out to sea, and in the morning send one or more of the most experienced to reconnoitre the part where they wish to pass the day, lest any snares should be laid for them. One or two of the flock also remain upon the surface of the water all day, as a sort of guard, while the greater number dive in search of food.

"Anas glacialis. This is a species not common in Norfolk Sound, but abounding much at Kodiak: it breeds chiefly on that island, and on the peninsula of Alaksa. The harmonious trumpet-like notes of this bird distinguishes it from every other species of duck. It dives very deep under the water, and lives principally upon shell-fish. It draws in a large provision of air in diving, a small part of which it exhales from time to time, so that in calm weather, by the little bubbles which ascend from this emission of air, its course under the water, may be easily tracked : it swims very fast, making very long strokes.

"Anas bucephala. This is, according to my opinion, one and the same duck with the anas albeola and anas rustica, in Gmellin's Systema; it appeared in Norfolk Sound early in October.

"Besides these, I saw great numbers of the following birds:

"Anas boschas.

"Anas marila.

"Anas crecca.

"Anas fusca, with several other sorts of ducks.

"Colymbus auritus.

"Colymbus arcticus.

"Colymbus Grille.

"Mergus Serrator.

"Mergus Merganser.

"Pelecanus Urile.

"Pelecanus Graculus.

"Larus glaucus.

"Larus marinus.

"Alcedo Alcyon.

"Corvus Stelleri.

"Corvus an corax.

"Tetrao Lagopus. The black bridle from the nose to the eyes was scarcely distinguishable.

"Ampelis Garrulus.

"Sylvia Troglodytes.

"Strix nyctea.

"Strix passerina.

"Turdus naevius.

"Of the diomedea exulans, or albatross, I saw some of a dark brown, others almost entirely white; the former I conjectured to be the young, the latter the old birds. They commonly appear in these northern parts in the greatest numbers about March and April, the time when the shoals of herrings annually come; they are particularly fond of these fish. The Aleutians call this bird aglica; their nests are not found by any of these northern nations. They have very great strength in their large bills, and make a noise not unlike the bleating of a goat or sheep. It is probably hence that they are called by the French moutons du cap.

"In February one of them was brought to me, upon which I could not discover the slightest wound. On inquiry how it was caught, I was answered, by the hand. Upon a farther investigation into the matter, I was assured by the Aleutians unanimously, that in the calms, which commonly succeed to a violent gale of wind, they cannot fly; if pursued by land they will run to the water, endeavouring to escape by swimming, but it is then easy to follow them with the baidarkas, when they may be taken with the hand, or killed by a spear or the stroke of an oar. They are commonly very lean when they first appear in the spring, but after banqueting a short time upon the herrings, grow fat, and are very good eating.

"This bird was often seen by us, and has been seen also by many other seamen in the South Sea and between the tropics. The inference to be drawn from this circumstance, and from the fact that they arc not known to make their nests any where excepting about Cape Horn, appears to be that they fly from the most southern regions of the globe to the most northern. It is not therefore difficult to comprehend, that a bird which never rests upon the waves of the sea during a storm, but skims their surface only as defying them, and delights in the most tempestuous winds, which chuses the frightful regions of Cape Horn as its favourite abode, which can bear the temperature of every climate, from the south pole through the hottest zone of the earth to the north pole; it seems easily to be comprehended, I say, that such a bird, whose gigantic wings spread out to a breadth often or twelve feet, should be able to fly in a dead calm.

"Falco leucocephalus. This beautiful eagle, with a white head and white tail, is to be found here in the greatest numbers in spring, during the herring season, but in autumn it appears to migrate more to the south, single ones are, however, to be seen occasionally the whole year round. Though its favourite food is fish, it will also prey upon ducks, geese, and young sea-lions. The flesh is eatable. In the first year that the Russians were here they killed and eat above two hundred; I have sometimes, when pressed by hunger, eaten there myself, and found them not ill-flavoured. The entrails must be carefully thrown away : the liver is considered as very pernicious, it is even said by some to be poisonous.

"These birds make their nests at Norfolk Sound, upon high trees, but at Oonalashka among the rocks They are formed of twigs lined within with down feathers. The same birds appear to come to the same nest for several years successively. The eggs are about the size of a hen's egg. The Kaluschians make great use of the feathers of these eagles in their ornaments. On solemn occasions, and at their dances, they cover their heads with the down feathers, so that they look as if they were powdered after the European fashion; and they hold a wing or tail of the bird in their hands for a fan. The wing bones, particularly the radus and ulna, are used in illness as tubes for sucking up fluids.

"The Hiematopus ostralegus, or oyster-catcher, is not so common here as at Oonalashka and some of the other Aleutian Islands. Its plumage is in all periods of its life, and at all seasons of the year, entirely black; excepting this I see no specific difference between the bird here and in Europe."

The voyage continued its journey in mid-March:

"On the 14th, at day-break, the horizon being particularly clear, we had the pleasure of discovering the long-wished for coast of New Albion."

Strait of Juan de Fuca

"On the following day, in latitude 48^o, longitude 127', we saw more birds than usual, and having but little wind, with perpetual variations, proceeded very slowly in our voyage. On the tenth, in almost a dead calm, an Aleutian leather canoe, which we had brought with us from Sitcha, was hoisted out, that we might make war the more easily upon a number of storm-birds, procellaria grisea, which had been flying about us for some hours. Our warfare was carried on with great success, and we made a considerable number of prisoners. In the evening of the same day the wind changed to south south-east, accompanied by a drizzling rain, or wet fog, which continued for two days, producing a very bad effect upon our sick. On the thirteenth, the weather cleared again, and having a favourable north and northwest wind, we directed our course towards the River Columbia, which we expected to have been able to visit without any loss of time. This was very desirable, for the double purpose of recruiting our diseased crew, and examining more accurately a harbour, which it was conceived might be rendered of essential importance to the Russians inhabiting these coasts.

"On the fourteenth, at day-break, the horizon being particularly clear, we had the pleasure of discovering the long-wished for coast of New Albion. To the south were high chains of hills, to the north the land was low. Directly in the east the landscape spread out to a considerable extent, being terminated in the back-ground by a very high round peak, covered with snow. This we conceived to be Captain Vancouver's Mount St. Helen's. It lay in latitude 46^o 9' north, longitude 138^o 4' west.

"Even without any astronomical observations, we might have presumed ourselves to be in the neighbourhood of a great river, as the sea had a dirty, troubled, and reddish appearance, and the water was mingled with a considerable quantity of clay. We soon discovered Cape Disappointment in latitude 46^o 20', and the favourable north-west wind continuing, we expected soon to cast anchor; we had even already in idea eaten abundance of the wild ducks and geese, which came about us in great plenty. Our chief, Von Resanoff had already sketched his plans for removing the settlement from Sitcha to the Columbia River, and was busied with building ships there in the air, when all our hopes and schemes were frustrated by the wind shifting suddenly to the south-east, and becoming so squally, with such a cloudy sky and thick atmosphere, that it was impossible to think any longer of running into an unknown harbour. Among the number of birds now about us, were, besides geese and ducks, pelicans, peterels, albatrosses, and sea-mews. Towards evening the wind abated, and we endeavoured, by carrying very little sail, to pass the night without varying much from our present situation, intending the next morning, as soon as it was light, again to attempt making the mouth of the river."

Continuing southward under heavy sails, there was violent storm. "A calm succeeding, we were exceedingly tormented with the pitching and rocking" of the Juno.

In an interesting convergence - which was not realized at the time - the voyage moved further southward along the coast.

On March 18th, the narrative of von Langsdorff stated that the ship was at latitude 46^o 40'. Sea-birds were noted. The narrative does not indicate anything about another bunch of explorers residing ashore and about the area doing local explorations during a winter hiatus.

The members of the Lewis and Clark expedition were spending the winter season at Fort Clatsop. Their journals of the month were describing many species of local fauna. There was nothing about the passing ship in the texts written by men of the group, though an editorial footnote in the edited version does mention that the Russians were present out on the sea, and attributes some political significance to their not making it ashore.

Onshore, the journals of the Lewis and Clark crew noted showers, some hail and thunder. The inclement weather was obviously a factor preventing the Juno from making a stop.

So onward sailed the ship with its focused leader and hearty crew. Until this group reached Saint Francisco, the only mention of birds was of a visiting woodpecker, that made a deadly mistake one day.

On March 26th, "in the afternoon a golden-winged wood-pecker, picus auratus, flew on board, seeming as if it hoped to find there a place of refuge; instead of that it found its death, since, on account of its beauty and rarity, we could not forbear sacrificing it, and preserving it as an object of natural history."

As if that was a new concept!

Settlement of Saint Francisco

Further south, the Spanish missions brought an end to the intent to sail south. The warm climate and settled conditions provided a ready haven, and a sublime wonder to explore.

There were animals to discovery and people to observe and study. They both were noted in the chronicle.

Birds were importantly and prominently featured in the context of natural and social history.

During an excursion from the ship afloat in the bay, to the mission in latter March, the text reads: "The birds were almost the only things to attract our attention; I saw several sorts unknown to me, besides eagles, cranes, curlews, ducks; there were also a few rabbits and hares."

The residents "also make themselves garments of the feathers of many different kinds of water-fowl, particularly ducks and geese, bound together fast in a sort of ropes, which ropes are then united quite close so as to make something like a feather skin. It is the same on both sides, and so warm that it would be an excellent winter garment for a much colder climate."

Skins provided garments, and the importance of bird material extended further into the home of the people.

"Among their household utensils, I observed baskets made of the bark of trees, very ingeniously woven together, and so firm and water-tight, that they hold any kind of liquid, without its oozing out in the smallest degree. They even besides, make use of them as roasters, putting into them corn or pulse, and drawing them quick back wards and forwards over a slow charcoal fire, so that every grain, like our coffee, gets thoroughly browned, without the basket being the least injured. Many of these baskets, or vessels, are ornamented with the scarlet feathers of the oriolus phoeniceus, or with the black crest feathers of the crested Californian partridge, tetraonis cristati, or with shells and beads.

"However dull and heavy, however ugly and dirty these people appear, yet they have a great fondness for sports and ornaments. The latter are chiefly made of shells and feathers."

The aristocratic observations continued to convey the people, places and things present where the Baron traversed.

"The finest ornament for the head consists of the two middle tail-feathers of the golden-winged wood-pecker, picus auratus, the shafts of which are by nature of a very bright vermilion colour. They are stripped within about an inch of the end, and then laid regularly one over the other, and bound fast together, so as to form a sort of bandeau for the head, which produces a very good effect. Among other curiosities which I procured from these people in exchange for glass-beads, rib-bands, knives, and other European objects, was one of these bandeaus, which consisted of four hundred and fifty feathers, consequently two hundred and twenty-five birds were required to make it. I could not imagine or learn how these people could have procured so large a number, since it is a bird which inhabits only very woody parts, and there is very little wood indeed in the neighbourhood of St. Francisco. Another head-dress, which is usually worn by these Indians at their dances, is made of the feathers of a vulture very common in these parts, the vultus aurea. The tail and wing-feathers are woven together in a manner that very much resembles a Turkish turban."

Shooting birds was a favorite pastime, with this endeavour apparently given particular attention when not watching people or looking upon the social scene.

"We often amused ourselves with shooting the crested partridges and the rabbits which abound upon the sand hills near the shore. One day we went, accompanied by twelve people, and conducted by thirty or forty Indians, to catch hares and rabbits by a sort of snaring, when, in three hours, without firing a shot, we had taken seventy-five, and most of them alive. We sought in vain several times for lions, tigers, and bears; of the latter there had been formerly a great abundance, but they were now become much more rare. On the northern shore of the bay the roe abounds, and the chase of it is very amusing and productive. In a number of aquatic excursions, I found most of the birds, with which I had become familiar at Sitcha, as pelicans, guillemots, ducks, particularly the anas perspicillata, and the anas nigra, sea-pies, and others. There were also seals of various sorts, and above all things, the valuable sea-otter was swimming in numbers about the bay, nearly unheeded. Some of us were almost every afternoon at the presidency, and the society was generally enlivened by dancing and music."

von Langsdorff studies were were a source of frustration. Others did not understand his endeavours and his intent to record the local fauna and flora.

"My researches in Natural History met with more obstacles in California than in any other part of our expedition. To detail all the petty circumstances which crossed me in this way would appear prolix, and running too much into minutiae. I shall only therefore mention some of the principal. Our regular habitation during our whole stay was on board the ship, and there we were all constantly employed in loading and unloading goods. Several skins of sea-dogs and birds that I had laid upon the deck to dry, were, I know not by what means, thrown overboard. The paper for drying plants disappeared one day when I was on shore, and was informed was by mistake put under a quantity of goods which had in my absence been taken on board, so that it could not be got out without entirely unloading again, and this was impossible. Several live birds which I had purchased were, as soon as my back was turned, suffered to fly away. Sometimes, when I asked for a sailor to go upon a water excursion with me, I was told that these people had more important business to attend to, and that Our expedition was not undertaken for the promotion of Natural History. One evening I brought home a number of ducks and other aquatic birds, intending to strip off the skins, and dry them, but the nest morning I found them all with their heads cut off. By these, and numberless other occurrences of a similar kind, I was at length so entirely discouraging, that I relinquished all idea of attempting farther labours in the science, and resigned myself to the wishes of the Chamberlain Von Resanoff, that I should undertake the office of interpreter, and transact all our business with the missionaries relative to the purchase of corn and other articles."

Baron Langsdorff continued his dedication of writing about the fauna present.

"Whales are very often cast on shore in these pans, particularly in the bay of Monterey. Sea-dogs and sea-otters are taken in nets, though in very small numbers. The American lion, Felis concolor, the American tiger, Felis onca, stags, roes, wolves, foxes, bears, and polecats, viverra putorius, are very common here; the latter is called by the Spaniards sorritto. The urine which this animal spurts from him to defend himself against his enemies exceeds in stench every thing that can be conceived; the missionaries told me that in the night it is exceedingly phosphoric, and if put into a glass retains the phosphoric appearance for a very long time.

"Among the feathered species, I observed the vultus aura. The feet of this bird are very different from those of any other; the claws are thin and small, and the three foremost are united by a sort of half-web, so that to judge by the feet, it seems to belong to the class of marsh-birds, but according to the bill, it should belong to birds of prey. I was told that a soup made of the flesh of this bird is extremely wholesome, and that by taking it freely, all diseases of the body have a tendency to throw themselves out upon the skin. Perhaps the flesh itself has rather a propensity to creating eruptions of the skin, as it is well known that in some persons strawberries will have that effect, though others eat them in abundance without any effect whatever. These vultures are gregarious; they are slow in flight, and feed upon carrion, which, in company with the ravens, with whom they live upon very friendly terms, they devour in great quantities.

"The oriolus phoeniceus flies about the houses here like sparrows in Europe. The oriolus icterus, alanda calandra, picus auratus, tetrix cristatus, trochilus mosquitus, and others of this species, are also very abundant. Of the colibris there are a great number in summer, but not one is to be seen in winter. It is universally said here that they remain in a torpid state all the winter, whence they have the name of saxaro resuscitado, resurrection birds. Of water and marsh-birds there are a great variety, particularly of the ardea, tringa, scolopax, pelecanus, larus, colymbus, mergus, and anas species. In winter, the number of wild geese in the boggy plain to the south-east of the bay is so great, that they are a positive nuisance; they do great injury to the young corn which stands the winter, and are so impudent, that they are scarcely to be frightened away by firing among them."

Thus some of the details of the local avifauna are known again for this region, with the particulars a teasing view of the species early in the 19th century.

The visitors left Saint Francisco on May 10th, sailing northward towards Russian Alaska, under the command of Baron Von Resanoff, whom after "much trouble and negotiation, succeeded in getting on board the Juno four thousand two hundred and ninety-four measures of corn, with a large quantity of flour, pease, beans and maize, together with a few casks of salted meat and a small provision of salt, soap, tallow, and some other articles. For all this he gave in exchange merchandise to the amount of twenty-four thousand Spanish dollars."

Sitka was the next harbor, for a brief time, before the expeditionary force continued along, heading towards their home land.

Sitka to Kodiak Island

In this voyage, after leaving New Archangel, and quite out at the sea of Bristol Bay during mid-June to mid-July, there were the following birds: "alca arctica, alca cirrhata, procellaria furcata, procellaria glacialis, procellaria aequinoctialis and diomeaea exulans. At the distance of between twenty and thirty sea-miles from the coast, were the following among several others - pelecanus violaceus, colymbus grylle, colymbus troile, larus furcus, and sterna hirundo."

After another stop at Kodiak island, the ship continued sailing westward. The Juno raised anchor on August 17th, from Oonalashka.

Westward from Oonalashka

"Having a gentle south-east wind, with a good deal of fog and rain, we proceeded slowly, and sometimes saw a considerable tract of sea strewed with feathers. This we attributed to its being the time of moulting among the vast numbers of sea-fowl that inhabit these regions.

"Colymbus troile, procellaria furcata, procellaria glacialis, procellaria nigra, procellaria grisea, with several sorts of larus, flew daily about the ship in great numbers. The sort of alca, very common in many parts of these regions, known by the vulgar name of the sea-parrot, was seldom to be seen; perhaps it rather frequents the southern coasts of the islands. On the other hand, we saw here in greater abundance than any where else a particular sort of sea-mew, called by Linnaeus the larus parasiticus, which never catches fish for itself, but watches for others of the species, and when it sees them catch one, pursues and takes it from them. We had daily opportunities of seeing this tyranny practised, and were not a little surprized at observing that the other sea-mews, far from appearing to shun their persecutors, were always in company with them.

"The wind was hitherto so slack that by the twenty-third we had scarcely made eight degrees of way. On the twenty-sixth, about noon, during a pretty brisk east wind, four wild geese, anas canadensis, came very, near our ship. I watched my opportunity, and firing at them, brought them all down at one shot, to the great joy of myself and the company at the same table; they afforded us excellent roti for several days. Such a piece of good fortune is so rare in a sea-voyage, that it occasions double pleasure when it does occur."

Thus ends the narrative for North America. The voyage continued to Kamschatka, where another important list of species was depicted.

Species Noted in North America

As Baron de Langsdorff wrote his memoirs, he did not realize their importance in conveying the birds about at the places visited during the expedition.

From the cold at the far-west islands of Alaska to the balmy climate of Monterey, his narrative regularly records a variety of species. Each note conveys a bit of valuable information for the historic ornithology of North America.

Details are given for more than fifty different species. Although the Baron wrote a note here and there, when the details are combined, the result is a profound bunch of information about birds of the times two centuries ago.

These records were compiled to convey following summation for the narrative written by the Baron:

Common Name	Oonalashka Island	Island of St. George	Island of St. Paul	Island of Kodiak	Sitcha	Cape Disappointment, New Albion	Cape Barro de Arena	Columbia Bay	Coastal Gulf of Alaska	Settlement of San Francisco	Vicinity of Buldir Island
Canada Goose	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1
Goose	-	-	-	1	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Tundra Swan	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
American Black Duck	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Mallard	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Duck	-	-	-	-	1	1	-	-	-	4	-
Green-winged Teal	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Greater Scaup	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Unidentified waterfowl	-	2	-	1	-	1	-	1	-	-	-
Harlequin Duck	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	-
Surf Scoter	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	1	-
White-winged Scoter	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Black Scoter	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Long-tailed Duck	-	-	-	1	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Bufflehead	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Merganser	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Common Merganser	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Red-breasted Merganser	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
California Quail	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Arctic Loon	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Horned Grebe	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Albatross	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Northern Fulmar	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-
Parkinson's Petrel	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-
Petrel	1	-	1	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Sooty Shearwater	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Leach's Storm-Petrel	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-
Pelican	-	1	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	1	-
Brandt's Cormorant	-	-	1	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Double-crested Cormorant	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Pelagic Cormorant	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-
Cormorant	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Heron	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Bald Eagle	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Eagle	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Sandhill Crane	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Plover	-	-	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
American Oystercatcher	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	1	-
Curlew	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Sandpiper	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	2	-
Shorebird	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-
Gull	2	1	1	-	-	1	-	-	-	2	-
Herring Gull	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-
Glaucous Gull	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Great Black-backed Gull	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Arctic Tern	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-
Parasitic Jaeger	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Common Murre	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-
Murre	1	1	2	1	-	-	-	-	-	2	-
Black Guillemot	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	1	-	-
Marbled Murrelet	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	1	-	-
Least Auklet	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Auklet	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Horned Puffin	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-
Tufted Puffin	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-
Puffin	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Snowy Owl	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Northern Saw-whet Owl	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Hummingbird	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Belted Kingfisher	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Northern Flicker	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	1	-
Steller's Jay	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Black-billed magpie	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Common Raven	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	1	-
Lark	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Winter Wren	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Varied Thrush	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Bohemian Waxwing	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Red-winged Blackbird	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Bullock's Oriole	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-
Bird bone artifact	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Bird-motif garment	1	-	-	1	1	-	-	-	-	3	-
Bird feather object	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-

There are more than 125 distinct entries. Mostly there is a record here, and another one there, but occasionally more than one observation of the same species was made at one locale. Records are available for about 50 different species.

Accounts of Species

It is the detail within the narrative which provides the essentials for denoting the species recorded. The following is a list of the details, including its temporal occurrence, and contextual notes. The details were derived by reading the so interesting journal, and extracting what was of interest ... and what a bunch there was!

The following list present species in a the order of modern nomenclature. There are certain uncertainties because the terms used two hundred years in the past do not necessarily match accepted modern terms.

In this list, the details provide the designated species, notes in the narrative, date of occurrence, designated site, county and state. Place names given conform with those in the source material.

• Canada Goose - four wild geese, Anas canadensis, came very near our ships; brought them all down with one shot; afforded an excellent roti for several days; in vicinity of Buldir Island - 8/26/1806 - Vicinity of Buldir Island - Alaska

• Goose - geese noted - 1805 - Island of Kodiak - Alaska

• Goose - wild geese; came about us in great plenty - 3/14/1806 - Cape Disappointment, New Albion - Pacific - Washington

• Tundra Swan - swans noted - 1805 - Island of Kodiak - Alaska

• American Black Duck - found particularly the Anas nigra; during aquatic excursions - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Mallard - Anas boschas; great numbers seen during winter stay - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Duck - ducks; great numbers seen during winter stay - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Duck - found ducks; during aquatic excursions - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Duck - Anas species; great variety of water and marsh-birds - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Duck - wild ducks; came about us in great plenty - 3/14/1806 - Cape Disappointment, New Albion - Pacific - Washington

• Duck - saw ducks - 3/29/1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Duck - muddy shores covered with wild ducks - 4/23/1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Green-winged Teal - Anas crecca; great numbers seen during winter stay - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Greater Scaup - Anas marila; great numbers seen during winter stay - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Unidentified waterfowl - many other types of marsh and water-fowl noted; come in innumberable flocks, both in spring and autumn - 1805 - Island of Kodiak - Alaska

• Unidentified waterfowl - numberless flights of sea-birds - 7/2/1805 - Island of St. George - Alaska

• Unidentified waterfowl - innumberable flights of birds of various kinds rose along the coast; a thick living cloud spread itself around, and that the sean, as far as our horizon reached, was absolutely blackened by the animals - 7/8/1805 - Island of St. George - Alaska

• Unidentified waterfowl - vast quantities of sea-fowl - 1806 - 3/15/1806 - Cape Disappointment, New Albion - Pacific - Washington

• Unidentified waterfowl - saw several flocks, consisting of many thousand sea-birds - 1806 - 3/18/1806 - Columbia Bay - Clatsop - Oregon

• Harlequin Duck - Anas histrionica; first appeared about the end of September - 1805 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Harlequin Duck - Anas histrionica; stayed in the Sound all the winter - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Surf Scoter - Anas perspicillata; not to be seen until the end of September; come in great abundance, and large flocks - 1805 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Surf Scoter - found particularly the Anas perspicillata; during aquatic excursions - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• White-winged Scoter - Anas fusca; great numbers seen during winter stay - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Black Scoter - killed some petrels, Procellaria nigra, which were swimming in abundance in the water; afforded an excellent repast - 6/29/1805 - Oonalashka Island - Alaska

• Long-tailed Duck - Anas glacialis; abounding much at Kodiak; breeds on the island - 1805 - Island of Kodiak - Alaska

• Long-tailed Duck - Anas glacialis; not common in Norfolk Sound - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Bufflehead - Anas bucephala; appeared in Norfolk Sound early in October - 1805 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Merganser - Mergus; great variety of water and marsh-birds - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Common Merganser - Mergus merganser; great numbers seen during winter stay - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Red-breasted Merganser - Mergus serrator; great numbers seen during winter stay - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• California Quail - Tetrix cristatus; often amused ourselves with shooting the crested partridges which abound upon the sand hills near the shore; very abundant - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Arctic Loon - Colymbus arcticus; great numbers seen during winter stay - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Horned Grebe - Colymbus auritus; great numbers seen during winter stay - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Albatross - albatrosses; among birds about - 03/14/1806 - Cape Disappointment, New Albion - Pacific - Washington

• Northern Fulmar - Procellaria glacialis; seen during mid-June to mid-July - 1806 - Coastal Gulf of Alaska - Alaska

• Northern Fulmar - Procellaria glacialis; flew daily about the ship; west from Oonalashka - 8/19/06 - Oonalashka Island - Alaska

• Parkinson's Petrel - Procellaria aequinoctialis; seen during mid-June to mid-July - 1806 - Coastal Gulf of Alaska - Alaska

• Petrel - Procellaria, or peterels; nest here 1805 - 7/7/1805 Island of St. Paul - Alaska

• Petrel - peterels; among birds about - 3/14/1806 - Cape Disappointment, New Albion - Pacific - Washington

• Procellaria nigra; flew daily about the ship; west from Oonalashka; = white-chinned petrel, which is not known to occur in Alaska, so this would be some other common petrel, with a similar appearance - 8/19/06 - Oonalashka Island - Alaska

• Sooty Shearwater - Procellaria grisea; flew daily about the ship; west from Oonalashka - 1806 - 8/19/06 - Oonalashka Island - Alaska

• Leach's Storm-Petrel - Procellaria furcata; seen during mid-June to mid-July - 1806 - Coastal Gulf of Alaska - Alaska

• Leach's Storm-Petrel - Procellaria farcata [=furcata]; flew daily about the ship; west from Oonalashka - 8/19/06 - Oonalashka Island - Alaska

• Storm-Petrel - Procellaria, or peterels; nest here - 7/7/1805 - Island of St. Paul - Alaska

• Storm-Petrel - peterels; among birds about - 3/14/1806 - Cape Disappointment, New Albion - Pacific - Washington

• Pelican - pelicans; vast number of sea-birds about the ship - 7/2/1805 - Island of St. George - Alaska

• Pelican - found pelicans; during aquatic excursions - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Pelican - pelicans; among birds about - 3/14/1806 - Cape Disappointment, New Albion - Pacific - Washington

• Brandt's Cormorant - saw the Pelicanus urile - 7/7/1805 - Island of St. Paul - Alaska

• Brandt's Cormorant - Pelecanus urile; great numbers seen during winter stay - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Double-crested Cormorant - Pelecanus graculus; great numbers seen during winter stay - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Pelagic Cormorant - Pelecanus violaceus; seen during mid-June to mid-July - 1806 - Coastal Gulf of Alaska - Alaska

• Cormorant - Pelecanus species; rocks a rendezvous - 1805 - Oonalashka Island - Alaska

• Cormorant - Pelecanus; great variety of water and marsh-birds - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Heron - herons noted - 1805 - Island of Kodiak - Alaska

• Heron - Ardea; great variety of water and marsh-birds - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Bald Eagle - Falco leucocephalus; beautiful eagle with a white head and white tail; in autumn appears to migrate more to the south; single ones seen occasionally the whole year round; nest at Norfolk Sound - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Eagle - saw eagles - 3/29/1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Sandhill Crane - cranes noted - 1805 - Island of Kodiak - Alaska

• Sandhill Crane - saw cranes - 3/29/1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Plover - plovers noted - 1805 - Island of Kodiak - Alaska

• Plover - ducks noted - 1805 - Island of Kodiak - Alaska

• American Oystercatcher - Haematopus astralegus, oyster-catcher; not so common at at Oonalashka, and some of the other Aleutian Islands - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• American Oystercatcher - found sea-pies; during aquatic excursions - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Curlew - saw curlews - 3/29/1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Sandpiper - Tringa; great variety of water and marsh-birds - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Sandpiper - vast quantities of tringae - 3/15/1806 - Cape Disappointment, New Albion - Pacific - Washington

• Sandpiper - muddy shores covered with sandpipers - 4/23/1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Shorebird - Scolopax; great variety of water and marsh-birds - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Shorebird - muddy shores covered with snipes - 1806 - 4/23/1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Gull - Larus; rocks a rendezvous - 1805 - Oonalashka Island - Alaska

• Gull - Larus; vast number of sea-birds about the ship - 7/2/1805 - Island of St. George - Alaska

• Gull - several species of Larus, or sea-mews; nest here - 7/7/1805 - Island of St. Paul - Alaska

• Gull - Larus; great variety of water and marsh-birds - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Gull - sea-mews; among birds about - 3/14/1806 - Cape Disappointment, New Albion - Pacific - Washington

• Gull - muddy shores covered with sea-mews - 4/23/1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Gull - Larus, several types; flew daily about the ship; west from Oonalashka - 8/19/06 - Oonalashka Island - Alaska

• Herring Gull - Larus furcus; seen during mid-June to mid-July; = lesser-black-backed gull - c.f. herring gull - 1806 - Coastal Gulf of Alaska - Alaska

The scientific name conforms with the Lesser Black-backed Gull, though it is not expected to occur in the Alaska region. The record is attributed to the Herring Gull, as it is similar in appearance.

• The Lesser Black-backed Gull is not expected to occur in Alaska, thus the species denoted would be something similar, such as the designated Herring Gull.

• Glaucous Gull - Larus glaucus; great numbers seen during winter stay - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Great Black-backed Gull - Larus marinus; great numbers seen during winter stay - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Arctic Tern - Sterna hirundo, or sea-swallow; nest here; = - Sterna paradisaea - 1805 - 7/7/1805 - Island of St. Paul - Alaska

• Arctic Tern - Sterna hirundo; seen during mid-June to mid-July; = - Sterna paradisaea - 1806 - Coastal Gulf of Alaska - Alaska

• Parasitic Jaeger - Larus parasiticus; seen in greater abundance than anywhere else; had daily opportunies of seeing its taking fish from other birds - 8/19/06 - Oonalashka Island - Alaska

• Common Murre - Colymbus troile; seen during mid-June to mid-July - 1806 - Coastal Gulf of Alaska - Alaska

• Common Murre - Colymbus troile; flew daily about the ship; west from Oonalashka - 8/19/06 - Oonalashka Island - Alaska

• Murre - Colymbus; rocks a rendezvous - 1805 - Oonalashka Island - Alaska

• Murre - eggs of the Colymbus or guillemot are preferred before all others, as the largest and best flavoured - 1805 - Island of St. Paul - Alaska

• Murre - guillemots noted - 1805 - Island of Kodiak - Alaska

• Murre - Colymbus; vast number of sea-birds about the ship - 7/2/1805 - Island of St. George - Alaska

• Murre - Colymbus, or guillemot; nest here - 7/7/1805 - Island of St. Paul - Alaska

• Murre - Colymbus; among great variety of water and marsh-birds - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Murre - found guillemots; during aquatic excursions - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Black Guillemot - Colymbus grylle; seen during mid-June to mid-July - 1806 - Coastal Gulf of Alaska - Alaska

• Black Guillemot - Colymbus grille; great numbers seen during winter stay - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Marbled Murrelet - Diomedia exulans; seen during mid-June to mid-July - 1806 - Coastal Gulf of Alaska - Alaska

• Marbled Murrelet - Diomedea exulans, or albatross; received one in February; Aleutians call it aglica; often seen - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Least Auklet - Alca pygmaea, or pygmy auk; nest here - 7/7/1805 - Island of St. Paul - Alaska

• Auklet - auks noted - 1805 - Island of Kodiak - Alaska

• Horned Puffin - Alca arctica, or puffin; nest here - 7/7/1805 - Island of St. Paul - Alaska

• Horned Puffin - Alca arctica; seen during mid-June to mid-July - 1806 - Coastal Gulf of Alaska - Alaska

• Tufted Puffin - Alca cirrhata, or tufted auk; nest here - 7/7/1805 - Island of St. Paul - Alaska

• Tufted Puffin - Alca cirrhata; seen during mid-June to mid-July - 1806 - Coastal Gulf of Alaska - Alaska

• Puffin - Alca; rocks a rendezvous - 1805 - Oonalashka Island - Alaska

• Puffin - Alca, sea-parrot; seldom to be seen - 8/19/06 - Oonalashka Island - Alaska

• Snowy Owl - Strix nyctea; seen during winter stay - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Northern Saw-whet Owl - Strix passerina; seen during winter stay - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Hummingbird - Trochilus mosquitus; also very abundant - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Belted Kingfisher - Alcedo alcyon; seen during winter stay - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Northern Flicker - Picus auratus; also very abundant - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Northern Flicker - golden-winged woodpecker, Picus auratus, flew on board the boat - 3/26/1806 - Cape Barro de Arena - Mendocino - California

• Steller's Jay - Corvus stelleri; seen during winter stay - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Black-billed magpie - magpye; as familiar as a sparrow, perching often upon the house-tops - 1805 - Island of Kodiak - Alaska

• Common Raven - Corvus an corax; seen during winter stay - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Common Raven - ravens; which the vultus aura live with upon friendly terms - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Lark - Alanda calandra; also very abundant - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Winter Wren - Sylvia troglodytes; seen during winter stay - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Varied Thrush - Turdus naevius; seen during winter stay - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Bohemian Waxwing - Ampelis garrulus; seen during winter stay - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Red-winged Blackbird - Oriolus phoeniceus flies about the houses like sparrows in Europe - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Bullock's Oriole - Oriolus icterus; also very abundant - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• unidentified species - Procellaria nigra; flew daily about the ship; west from Oonalashka - 8/19/06 - Oonalashka Island - Alaska

• Bird bone artifact - Falco leucocephalus; wing bones, particularly the radius and ulna, used in illness as tubes for sucking up fluids - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

This is a unique commentary about the use of bird bones. Other narratives discuss the use of hollow bones, but there are none others known that indicate how bones of birds were used for medicinal purposes.

The notes on bird-motif garments provide additional details about the importance of birds in providing skins used to create garb worn by the native people.

• Bird-motif garment - garments made of the skins of birds, particularly of the sea-parrots; the alca cirrhata and alca arctica, and the sea-raven, pelecanus urile; sometimes work on them for a year before they are completed - 1805 - Oonalashka Island - Alaska

• Bird-motif garment - principal garment a konagen; made of skins of sea-fowls, particularly the alca arctica, alca cirrhata and pelecanus urile - 1805 - Island of Kodiak - Alaska

• Bird-motif garment - finest ornament for the head consists of the two middle tail feathers of golden-winged woodpecker, picus auratus; the shafts a bright vermilion color; they are stripped within an inch of the end, laid one over another and bound together; form a bandeau - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Bird-motif garment - head-dress usually worn by Indians at their dances; made of feathers of a very common vulture, vultus aurea; tail and wing feathers woven together - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Bird-motif garment - falco leucocephalus; feathers used in ornaments; on solemn occasions, and at their dances, cover their heads with the down feathers - 1806 - Sitcha - Alaska

• Bird-motif garment - women make themselves garments of feathers of different kinds of water-fowl, particularly ducks and geese; bound together; united quite close to make something like a feather skin; so warm it would be an excellent winter garment for a much colder climate - 3/29/1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

• Bird feather object - many of the baskets ornamented with the scarlet feathers of the oriolus phoeniceus; or with the black crest feathers of the crested Californian partridge, Tetreonis cristati; or with shells and beads - 1806 - Settlement of San Francisco - California

There are more than 125 distinct entries considered.

Summary

Baron von Langsdorff was a fledgling naturalist as he went along on this expedition. His notes were made with the best of his knowledge, perhaps misdirected on an occasion or two, yet still authoritative.

However the information is considered, the details are there to consider, and understand. The avifauna of the northern Pacific is better understood by realizing the important observations for the ornithology of the era. Another undertaking conveys birds in descriptions of written narrative ... so useful to what was shown during those current conditions.

This information is possibly change as further interpretations may be considered and if additional information may become available. The entire realm of historic ornithology is subject to continual revision and reconsideration because of the archaic terminology, and a myriad of other factors, which at times can be quite confusing.