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U. a DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE
DIVISION OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY

(•I AMERICAN FATJNA

No. 19

[Actual (late of publicatioa; October 6, lOQO]

RESULTS OF A BIOLOGICAL REGONNOISSANOB OF THE YUM RIVfiR REGION

Oenetal AciSomit of the Begrion
Aianottitiia. X4st of Mammals ^

By Wilfred H. Osoood

Anaotatod Liat of Bigdu

By LoviB B. Bishop, M. D. /' ../ 7-

Prepared under the direction of
Dr. C. HART MERKIAM

CIIIKF OF DIVISION or BIOUMICAL 8UKVBY

WASHINGTON'

OOVBRNMENT PRINTING O'VFICE
1900

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North Am«rican Fauna, No. n.

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' SIHKHIA < ANA1>A AND WASIIIXCITON </■

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Frontispiccn.

U. S. DKI'ARTMKNT Ol' ACiRlCUL TURK

DIVISION (IF l'.[()l,(i(iIC.\l, SURVKY

NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA

ISTo. 19

L Actual I lutf 111' |iiil)lici»tii(ii, ( tiicilxT ti, liHK)]

RESL'LTS OF A IIIIIIJKIKWL REniWOISS ANTE OF THE Vl'lvOX RIVER REGION

General Account of the Region
Annotated List of Mammals

I>y WlI.FHKI) II. Osiioilll

Annotated List of Birds

i!y Loiis I'. r.isiK.i-, M. 1).

I'rr|uir>'(l iiiiiliT IIk' iliri'i'tioii (if

Dr. C. HART MERRIAM

CHIKK OK DIVI.'^IdX OK I!IOI,<MilC.\l, SllU'KV

WASHINGTON

(JOVKKNMKNT PKTNTINO OKPICK

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LETTER ()I< TRANSMITTyVL.

U. S. Dki'AUTMENT ok A(!UI("ULTUKK,

Washimiton, I). ('., Jii/i/ i'<s\ miO.

Sm: I huvo tlio honor t<j tran.sniit for publication, as No. IM of North
American Fauna, a rqwrt entitled 'Results of a Biological Keconnois-
sanco of the Yukon River Region,' ])}' Wilfred H. Osgood and Louis
B. Bishop.

Under instructions dated May 11, 1S91>, AVilfred IL Osgood, an
assistant in the Biological Survey, proceeded t« Skagway, Alaska,
and thenco over White Pass to the headwaters of the Yukon and down
the entire length of the Yukon River to St. Michael. Ho was accom-
panied by Dr. Louis B. Bishop, of New IIav«'n, as volunteer assistant;
Dr. Bishop has prepared the report on the birds observed during the
trip. These arc the first investigations of the kind undertaken on the
Upper Yukon, and the results herewith presented will T)0 found to
contain many important facts concerning the distribution of mammals,
birds, and trees in this region.

Respectfully,

Hon. Jamks Wilson.

Secrctart/ of A(jrl<-ultiire.

V,. Haut Mkuuiam,

Chief, li'toli)(jlcal SSiw^mij.

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CONTENTS.

Vngo.

General account of the region, l>y Wilfre<l H. Osgoo*! 7

Itinerary

Fauual diMtrictfl

Lyun Canal diatrict

White Pass distri.t ^

Canadian Yukon district— Ijike wilxliviHion 10

River HulxliviHion

Iludsonian Yukon diHtrict 1^

Alaska Tundra diMtrict |°

Summary of fauual dirttrictH ^^

Previous work

T^T • .-..1"

^ew siHicies

MwnmalH of the Yukon region, by Wilfred 1 1. Osgofxl ^|

Intro«luction

Lint of HiHicicH and Hul>Hi)ecieH

Annotated list of Hixicies - ■ "

BinlH of the Yukon region, with uoteH on other HiK-ciex, by I^mia li. Hishop. . 47

Introduction

Clafl8ifie<l listH of KiHJcieH ^

Annotated list of Mpecien ; ''

<?■

{ I

ILLUSTRATIONS.

Fticliiff Jiaffc.

Pi<ATK I. Map of Alaska FrontiHpit'ce

n. Fig. 1.— Sunuiiit of White I'asH.

Fig. 2. — Canadian police station at Caribon CroHsing 10

III. Fig. 1. — Cliffs on east side of Lake Ix'barge.

Fig. 2. — Yukon River 50 miles l)elo\v Fort 8elkirk(i 12

IV. Fig. ]. — Nest.H of red stpiirrels in spruce thicket.

Fig. 2. — Burrows ma<le by red scjnirrels in loose scales strii)iH'd

from spruce cones 26

V. Skulls of Scinrua vuncmivcrciuiK, Sriiinta hmhonimg pelulaiu, Xeo-

toiva ritwrea ilmmmondi, anil Kcotoma sa.raman» 34

VI. SkuUa of lAilreola vixon energumenon, Lufrmla v. hignm, Fiber zilitth-

im», and Fiber xpnlulntns 42

VII. Skulls of Mii»U'la wnericiDia bniiiialin, Miutliin americmin adunxn,

ami Muxteld americmia 44

I :»-

mmmm

No. 19.

NOETH AMERICAN FAUNA. October, 1900.

10
12

26
•M
42
44

RESULTS OF A HIOLOGICAL RE(!ONNOISSAN(!K (H-' THE YUKON

RIVER REGION.

GENERAL ACCOUNT OF THE REGION.

15y Wii.FKEi) H. Owiooi).

Nowhere else in North America i.s such a vast extent of boreal coun-
try so easily accessible as along the f ukon. The navigable waters
of the river l)egin at Tjake Bennett, only 85 miles from the port of
Skagway, on the coast of southeast Alaska, and with but one short
interruption, extend northward as far as the Arctic Circle and then
westward to Bering Sea; in all, a distance of more than 1,800 miles.
The recent developments resulting from the discovery of gold in this
region include a modern railroad from Skagway to Bennett and a tram-
car service around the dangerous White Horse Rapids. The chief
ohstaclos to ready access to the territory have thus been remo\'ed, and
an oppoi'tunity is afforded for obtaining specimens and information
from fi. region nuich of which was previously unknown to naturalists.
Accordingly, with Dr. Louis B. Bishop as voluntiirj' companion and
A. G. ^faddiHMi as assistant, I was detailed to make a liusty biological
reconnoissance of this region during the sununer or lS!tU.

ITINEUAUY.

After outfitting at Seattle. Wash., we sailed via the Inside Passage
direct to Skagway, Alaska, where wc arrived on May HO. From
Skagway we worked slowly over AVhite Pass and down to Lake Ben-
nett, at the head of navigation on the Yukon. Here wo eml)arked in
a small Hat-l)ottomed boat suited to our needs and sailed down the
scries of lakes that follow one another for nearly 200 miles. Fi'oin
the lakes wo passed into Thirty-Mile River, thence into Lewes River,
and finally into the Yukon proper, stopping freiptcntly and making
collections at favorable ])oints. With the aid of the swift, even cur-

I. I

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.'- 1 ■

NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA.

[NO. 19.

Lf I

rent we were able to make easy and rapid progress. Thus wo con-
tinued until an unfortunate capsize between Fort Yukon and Fort
Hamlin prevented further detailed work on the river, and we were
obliged to proceed direct to St. Michael, where a month was spent in
collecting on the coast and tundra. Finall}', late in September, our
work Avas brought to a close by the approach of the long arctic winter.
We returned to Seattle on the U. S. revenue cutter Corirm, which
stopped on her way for a few hours at St. George Island and at
Unalaska, at each of which places we collected a few birds.

A relatively large part of our time was spent in the White Pass
region and about the headwaters .of the Yukon, as this was an abso-
lutely vii'gin field, whereas part of the lower river had been previoufly
visited by naturalists. We were unable to do any collecting in the
mountains which lie back from the river, owing to the great distance
to be covered and the shortness of the season. Legions of mosquitoes
were attendant upon us almost constantly. At first they seemed posi-
tively unljearable and vere a real hindrance to the vwrk, but we gmd-
ually became accustomed to them, and ])y the use of gloves, head nets,
and canopies to sleep under, managed to exist in compai-ative comfort.
Aside from insect pests, however, outdoor life on the Yukon in June
and July is ver^' enjoyable; good camping places are abundant, and
the weather is mild and beautiful. During the latter part of August
and in September strong winds swc(!p »ip the river and frequent rains
occur.

FAUNAT- niSTRIOTS.

The country traversed may t)e divided for convenience into five dis-
tricts: (l)The Lynn Canaf district, (2) the White Pass district, (3)
the Canadian Yukon district, (4) the Hudsonian Yukon district, and
(5) the Alaska Tundra district. These districts are limited in a
general way by their respective life zones, )nit they are not of «>qual
extent or importiince, and the names applied to them arc used not to
specially designate restricted parts of zones already recognized, but
purely as a matter of convenience. They are longitudinal districts —
that is, they are very nuich longer than wide, and each is merely a nar-
row tract c()\ere(l by our route through some larger faunal region.

Jjl/itu Cft/Ki/ (h'xtrlcf. Skagway and th(i country l)ordering Lynn
Canal are in the northern part of that faunal area which Nelson hius
called the 'Sitkan districf and which has often l)een included in the
Northwest Coast district. The trees and siiruhs are nuich the same as
those at Juneau, Wrangeil, and other points farthtu' .south, but the vege-
tation is not((uite so dcn.sc and luxuriant. The shores of Lynn Canal
are steep, rocky, and comparatively spar.scly timbered, but in some
places, as at Haines, low. swampy ground aiul heavy saturated f(»re,sts
are foiuul. At Skagway, ]»oplars (J'npuInK tri inula id-en and I'ojudm

I I

<KT.,1900.]

KAIJNAL DIHTKIOTS.

1 [

halmmifira) arc very comuion; they share the river bottom witli wil-
lows and extend well up the steep canyon sides, where they occupy
large areas a''.jacent to the pines, rirs, and spruces. Skajjway is
surrounded by high mountains, and its fauna is limited chiefly by
altitude. Glacier Station, 14 miles distant, and about l,i>()0 feet
higher, is near the boimdary between the Lynn Canal and White Pass
districts. The station is situated on the side of a wooded gulch through
which a fork of Skagway River flows. The immediate vicinity is
similar to the country about Skagway, but shows the influence of the
Hudsonian zone of the White Pass district, which begins only a short
distance beyond. On either side of the gulch are glaciated granite
cliffs supporting an irregularl}' distributed vegetation, chiefly groves
of poplars and dense thickets of alders, while in the bottom of the
gulch conifers are the prevailing trees. The most common trees and
shrubs arc lodgepole pines {Pinus murrayana), alpine firs {Ahies
lasiocai'jMi)^ tidewater spruces [Pleea sitc/um«ifi), poplars or aspens
{Populiwi tremuloides and Populii^hahmnifera)^ alders (^l^w?w fimi(ata),
dwarf birches {Betula (jlanduUmd)^ currants {Rihes laxijloniir)), and
huckleberries ( Vacclnium (mall folium). The black crowberry {Empe-
trum ni(jriun) and several other heather-like plants occur in the gulch
but are n»ore common higher up. Along the trickling streams are
many ferns and mosses, as well as occasional patches of the lichen
known as 'reindeer moss.' Among the mammals of this region are
the Streator shrew {Sarex p. streatori), the Bangs white -footed mouse
{Peromyacuf^ ()reax),,\hG Dawson red-backed mouse {Evokmiys dawnmit),
the long-tail(!d vole {Ifitrotitti niordax), and the red squirrel {Sciuniti
h. 2>(it<tloiiH). Characteristic birds are the sooty song sparrow {Melo-
spiza in. rufina), the Townsend fox sparrow {Pa-'iserellft /'. townaend!).,
the Oregon snowbird {Janco h. ore<j</nius), and the varied thrush {Ifen-
per<u;i<;hJ<i lurfvia).

White Pam district. — ^The summits of the mountains that rise
dinu'tly east of Skagway are coven^d with glaciers and perpetual
snow, which feed numerous streams that flow down l)etwe(Mi mass-
ive walls of granite. The sides of the wider canyons hav(>. been
smoothed and scored by glaciatiori, and the smaller and more recent
ones are but jagged i'ock-})ound chiusms. These unfavorable conditions
cause a rapid change in the character of the plant and animal lif(>, and
from (jrlaciiir to the sununit of White Pass the /ones are Hudsonian
and Arctic-alpine. A few hundred feet above Glacier the trees l>ecome
smaller and more scattered, and at Sunnnit only the alpine juniper
{Jtinipi'nit< mi/i(t), the b(>ar))crry {Arctostuphyhix uvam'x/'),, and depau-
perat(^ .Ipine hemlocks {TsiKja mertensiana) occur. Il(>athers and
mosses prevail and large areas of I'cindeer moss are conspicuous.
For some distance on the sununit of White Pass (Plate 11, lig. I) the
eh'vationand physiognipliy arc umch the same; the country is slightly

ii :

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!i I

NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA.

[NO. 19.

rolling and ^'onsists entirely of granite rock, about which ding many
mosses and heathers, while small alpine junipers and hemlocks
struggle for existence in favorable places. The breeding birds found
with these Hudsonian plants Avere ptarmigan {Lagopus inipesti'is and
Z. leucuriui), pipits {Anthiis pensil/vanimm), rosy finches (Leuco»ticte t.
Uttotnlis) , and golden -crowned sparrows {Zonotriehia coronata). Char-
acteristic mammals noted were pikas {Ochotona collaris), hoary mar-
mots (Arctfnnys ealiffatus), and mountain goats {Oreamnos montanus).

Canadian. Yukon district. — Laka mihdivimm: Gn the north side of
the divide the hemlocks are soon replaced by pines and spruces, and
in the vicinity of Shallow Lake the boundaiy of the interior fauna and
flora is reached. The change is complete at Log Cabin, British Coluni-
1)ia, nine miles from the head of Lake Bennett, where the chamcteristic
features of the Canadian zone are again established and the genei-al
a.spect of the country > -i very different. The most abundant tree is the
white spruce {Plcea canadensis), and among shrubs seen for the first
timo the buffalo berry {Lepargyrfca canadensis) is verj' common.
Birds marking a change of fauna are the slate-colored junco {Junco
/ij/etnalis), the Alaska jay {Perisoreus canadensis fnmifroni^, the inter-
mediate sparrow {Ztmotrichia, 1. (jamheli), and the l)lack-poll warbler
{Dendroica striata). A new chipnm' c {Entamias canicej)s) is very
conspicuous. At the head of Lake Bennett another change occurs;
the country becomes more arid and rocky and there is a tinge of
Hudsonian.

Lake Bennett is a long, narrow sheet of water inclosed by high
granite cliffs, the sides of which are often so steep as to be unfavora))le
for plant and animal life, and whose summits are doubtless similar to
White Pass in fauna and flora. Cold winds .sweep down the lake much
of the time, and cool shadow.s envelop the ea.st side most of the fore-
noon and the west side inoMt of the afternoon, so that opporttmity for
warmth i)y direct sunlight is limited. Hence there is quite a strong
Hudsonian element about the lake. Among the plants' collected here
are the pale dwarf laurel (Kahtila i/lauca), the Greek valerian
{Polemonimn hnniih), the forget-me-not {Myosotis .sylvatica alpestris),
the alpine juniper {Jiiniptrns nana), the bush cranberry {Vihumum
pa^icijforiiin).! the dwarf bii-ch {Bctala t/Iandtdosa), the bearl>errv
{Arctffsfa/diyfos uvanrs/').! the }>utfalo ))erry {Lij>ar(jyr(t'a c .nadtmsi,-*),
the shadliush {Ainelanchier (dnifoUa), the Labrador tea {Ledinn grwn-
fandicniii), and the black crowl>erry {Enqxtrwn nigrnin). Where
trickling streams come down to tiie lake alder thickets al)ound, and
along tei'races of rock clumps of pines and spruces as well as poplars
find support. Among Hud.sonian mannnals were found pikas (^t7w-
Uma collar is), hoary tnarmots (Arctomys raligatus), and Dall sheep

' Identifiwl by F. V. Covillc, cliicf Ijotaiiist, I'.S. I)i'|irtrtiiiont of Agrieiilture.

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North American Fauna No. 19.

Plate II.

Fig. 1.— Summit of White Pass.

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Fig. 2.— Canadian Police Station at caribou Crossing.

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iaaoiBBiiBaiiiiiiiiB

OCT., 1900.]

FAUNAL DISTRICTS.

{Ovin dan*.). Although the lake widens slightly iit its lower end, its
outlet is a narrow strean< about 2 miles long, called (Wibou Cross-
ing (Plate II, fig. 2), on thb north side of which is an open, gnissy
swamp bordered by willow thickets. This low country, though very
limited and not extending to the next lake, affords a breeding place
for a few mammals and birds not found about Bennett.

Lake Tagish, which receives the waters of Bennett through Caribou
Crossing, is like Bennett in character, though not so closely walled,
and is characterized by practically the .same plants and animals. The
surrounding mountains are covered with dense forests, which in many
places are almost impenetrable.

Connected with Lake Tagish ])y a short, narrow stream, known as
Six-Mile River, is Lake Marsh, a long shallow lak-.'. on each side of
which extends low country, with rolling hills farther l)ack. The valley
widens here tiuitc appreciably, and the open country is like that at
Caribou Crossing. On the east side are sedgy J)ogs surrounded by
willow thickets, and in many places a wide margin of beautiful green
sedge meets the edge of the water. Rocky shores are found at some
points on the northwest side, but in general the country is low and
moist, in marked contrast to that about Bennett and Tagish. The
mountain animals of those lakes are of course absent, and the bird life
is also somewhat different.

Fifty-Mile River, into which the Yukon waters proceed from Lake
Marsh, is rather narrow, and for a short distance at White Horse Rap-
ids ver}' swift. Its banks are chiefly al)rupt l)luffs of sand}' clay (from
60 to 100 feet high) l)ut at Miles Canyon it is confined between walls
of basalt. Below the rapids the stream widens somewhat and the high
banks ))ocome less frequent, often being replace^! by low ones thickly
grown with willows. The timber is .somewhat .scattered, and on the
rolling hills ))ack from the river l)are granite spaces may ))c fre(|uently
seen. At the head of Fifty -Mile River, we first met with birch trees
{Bt'tula 2>fipy'>''fcra ?), and from that time on th(\v were seer, daily.
They do not grow to large size— trees more than 8 inches in diame-
ter were seldom seen. Several small streams flow into Fift3'-Mile
River, which favor the growth of thickets of aldt .'s along their banks
and large clumps of willows about their mouths. The little l)oreal
Hagvhrnah {Ai'tfintsmyrigida) grows a))nndantly on the warm exptsed
slopes that occasionally alternate with the .sandy ])luffs. Lodgepole
pines, are also abundant and frequently occupy large areas to the exclu-
sion of all other trees. Spruce and poplar, howt;ver, are still the strong-
est elements in the forest.

From Fifty -Mile River we enter Lake Lebarge, the last and largest
of the lakes. All about its clear, cold waters are low granite moun-
tains (Plate III, fig. 1). Oi'casionally patches of heavy spruce forest
are found near the water. l)ut in many ])laces dirt's rise abruptly from

I .

I'm : I

I. 3. I

NORTH AMKHTOAN FAUNA.

(NO. W.

the water's cdjje, and the timber is very sparsely sprinkled over them.
The rocks found hero and a few in Thirty-Mile River are the last we
saw showing signs of glaeiation. Lake Lebargo is quite different from
Lake Marsh, and is more similar to Lakes Tagish and Bennett, though
all the Hudsonian elements of these are not present.

River mthdivision: This area includes the section from the foot of
Lake Lebarge to the mouth of the Pelly River at Fort Selkirk. There
is very little variety in the character of the country between these
points. Thirty -Mile River, which proceeds from Lake Lebarge, is a
swift, narrow stream, and at low water is barely navigable for small
steamers. A conspicuous feature of its banks, which are cut a})ruptly
like those of Fifty -Mile River, is a narrow ribbon-like stratum of vol-
canic ash al)out 6 inches below the surface that may be seen wherever
the bank is exposed. On the mountains a short distance from the river
the forest of spruce is heavier and purer than any previously noted.
The poplars and willows are more confined to the brink of thv- river,
and the birches are scattered. Thirty-Mile River is simply that por-
tion of the Yukon between Lake Lebarge and the mouth of the lloota-
linqua or Teslin River. The stream is greatly augmented by the
waters of the Ilootalinqua, and from this point on to Fort Selkirk is
known as the Lewes River. Below the Ilootalinqua it cuts through
the Semenow Hills, for the most part abrupt, rocky, and rather barren
mountains from 2,000 to 3,000 feet high. Near their bases and iit the
water's edge are forested areas, but the exposed hillsides are covered
with boreal sagebrush {Artemisia frigida), with here and there a pros-
trate juniper or a small clump of spruces. The river now widens
rapidly, receiving in succession the waters of the Big Salmon, the
Little Salmon, and the Nordenskiold. The rolling hills are somethues
a mile or several miles from the river bank, with low willow swamps
intervening. Islands varying from 1 to 100 acres in extent and
covered with luxuriant vegetation are abundant. The distribution
of trees on the small, regular-shaped islands is very unifonn, the
different kinds being grouped in concentric belts. Alders generally
form the outer margin; next come the willows; next the poplars,
rising somewhat higher; and finally the dark-green spruces, which
occupy the central area. The whole effctit is quite picturesque. On
the largei- islands the spruces are larger, and usually predominate to
such an extent that almost everything else should be classed as under-
growth (including trees and shrubs l)elonging to the genera Almis,
Salix, Pojndu^i Lejiargyraia^ Comus, Vilmmum, Rostt^ Ledum ^ Yac-
cinium, Rlhett^ and others). Lodgepolc pines still occur, though unlike
the spruces they nowhere form continuous forest and disappear entirely
a short distance beyond Fort Selkirk.

The Canadian Yukon district as a whole is very well marked. Char-
actei'istic mammals are the gra^ -h(>aded<'hipnuuik (7?MAf//;/r/.v (•ti/iicej>-'<),

■ t

-.•*

North Amutican Faur.a, No. 19

Plate III.

'I
I

Fig. 1.— Cliffs on East Side of Lake Lebarge.

Fig. 2.-YUK0N River, 50 Miles below Fort Selkirk.

! I M-

ill

j i

1 1>

■ f

OCT., 1900.]

FAUNAL DIrtTRICrre.

tho Boiiiu^tt jjrouiul sciuirri'l {Sj}en/i.<ij>hiliM t'iiipetr(t,2>lix!"x), tin' North-
ern luisliy-twili'd rut {Xiofoimt ini,p(iiu(nij<), whitc-foott'd iiiico {/Woiiii/h-
cu« oredH and Pcroinyncus iiinui<:i(hitntt at'ctic'ti.s), and tho varying huro
{Lepuis sal hum). All of these species and three of tho f^onom, Entamids^
Neotoma, and /'i'roiiii/f<cK«, find their northern limits in thi.s di.strict.
Among birds that aro known from tho Yukon only in this diati'ict may
bo mentioned tho sparrow hawk {Faho njxirrcriii^), the screech owl
{2f('</a«coj}n amo hnnlcoUi?)^ tho night hawk {('hmlcilcH v'/'f/iniann^t),
tho tree swallow {Tachijeinetd It'colar), tho Tennes.see warl)ler {Heliiiln-
tJutphUd jxircgrlna)^ tho pileolated warbler ( Wtlx(ni in juMil/ajulcoldfa),
and tho mountain blueliird {Slalut (irctiai). Of these, Clmrde'den is
perhaps the most noteworthy, as it is decidedly a southern genus. It
is very common, and was seen nightl}' from Cari))ou Crossing to Kink
Rapids, but after we had passed that i)oint it disappeared. Its range
in this region as ol)served l)y us is prol)al)ly accurate and corresponds
with tho limits of tho district. Among trees, the lodgepole pine
{Plnm murraydnu) is coimnon throughout tho district, l>ut does not
extend beyond it.

Iludsonian Yuhm, (Ustrlci. — This district, as here considered,
includes nil of the Yukon region from Fort Selkirk to the limit of
trees. Tho Lewes Itiver is joined at Fort Selkirk by the PcUy, after
which the increased volume of water flows on between heavily forested
slopes and jutting clifl's (Plato III, fig. 2), which replace tho sandy
banks of tho upper river. From the mouth of the Selwyn rthward
tho topography of the river banks is but slightly different. The num-
ber of poplars in the forest is nuich increased; tho spruces are corre-
spondingly decrea.sod not only in number but also in size; while the
birches about hold their own, and tho pines are lot present at all,
. having disappeared between Fort Selkirk and the mouth of tho Selwyn
River. As wo approach Dawson spruces become dwarfed and entirely
sulx)rdiuate to the poplars, which crowd their bushy tops together for
miles and miles. Tho spruces are in the gulches and in small clumps
elsewhere, and a few are scattered about, their dark-green spike tops
showing off well against tho billowy mass of tho lighter foliage of
poplar and birch. The imdcrgrowth remains nuich tho same, and
deep moss covers the ground and rocks. In damp sandy places along
shore and on islands occasionally overflowed a bright-green scouring
rush {Equlsetavi) grows so abundantly as to bo a chanicteristic plant.
Tho alpine juniper {Jimiperus nayui) is found occasionally on hill-
sides not too thickly grown with poplars, and on the more open hill-
sides tho landscape is brightened by masses of firoweed {ClMmmnerion
angmt'k folium)^ for even hero forest fires aro not a noveltj'.

Two more largo rivers, tho AYhito and tho Stewart, empty into the
Yukon in this vicinity. About the mouths of these and other tributaries
is more or less low country covered with willows. Islands l)ecome

■ < I

a,i

1^^

'I' \

N()KTH AMERICAN FAUNA.

(NO. 19.

still ni()n> miiuerous and lar^LT, and hav(i a fonvst jirowth that is inoro
unifoi'in in rlmractci' than that of th(i rivtT banks. High clill's over-
hanging tho I'iver are of fre([uent ofcurnMicp.

From Dawson to tho Ahiska ])oundary and thonco to Ciivlo tho
country is about tho same. For a long distanco in tho vicinity' of tho
boundary a rango of high mountains is visible to tho northward on the
right bank of tho river. Tho low, rolling hills whieh bordc'r tho upper
river do not quite reach Circle, but are replaced by a broad, flat country
knoAvn as tho 'Yukon Flats,' which extends from near Circle to Fort
Hamlin, a distance of al)out 200 miles. Through the ' Flats ' the course
of tho river ])rcaks up into a great many channels, and tho i.slands
still further increase in size and numl)er. These are composed of
sand and silt, in which poplars thrive l)etter than spruces, though the
latter aro 1)}' no means eliminated. A wild roso {Rosa clnnamounjaf)
is the most abundant shrubby plant, and on the ground ]>elow it the
Eqtmetuiii is rampant. Tho hirger islands are identical in character
with the mainland, and on them the spruces form (piito a heavy forest,
with deep moss beneath. At Fort Ilamlin the river narrows again
and flows l)etween rolling wooded hills, which are similar to many
farther up the river. Small strciuns enti'r the main river freijuently,
and tho timber is imich the same; poplars, alders, and Ijin-hes cover
the hills in dense thickets, through which spruces are sprinkled.
Alders are more numerous than before. The hills vary in height
from 500 to 3,000 feet, and the highest have a distinct tim])erline at
a))Out 2,000 feet. At tho mouth of tho Tanana the hills l)ecome smaller
and the river very much wider. Here, at Fort (liblion. Dr. Bishop
found tho larch (Larix (tinerumui) quite abundant. This was the only
point at which it was seen by any of our part}'.

The Lower Yukon beyond tlie Tanana is very uniform in character.
Tho banks are low and rolling and overgrown with willows and alders;
farther back arc higher hills covered with poplars and birch; occasion-
ally tho summits of a few hills higher than the rest are devoid of
trees. On the sandy islands the willow thickets are impenetrable, and
where a cut bank exposes a section of them their slender pei-pendicu-
lar trunks stiuid so closeh'as to present a solid front like a thick hedge
or canel)i"ake. Thus it continues until tho limit of timber is reached
at Andraefski, DO miles above the mouth of the Yukon.

This district as a whole is characterized by absence of southern
plants and animals. Among migratory bii-ds a few have their center
of abundance farther south, l)ut all tho mammals are northern forms,
and nearly all belong to geneiii of circumpolar distribution.* Plant
life, though quite luxuriar*., is made up of only a small number of
hardy species. Characteristic mammals are the Foi-t Yukon ground

'The only exceptions are Si/iuiptomyn, Fiher, mid lirHhizon.

II n!

OCT., 1000.)

KAL'NAL DISTKIOTH.

squirrel {SptrntophtluH osyoodl), Daw.son rcd-hucked iiu»us»', {Ki'nttninjH
daitwm!), ycllow-o.heekcd vole {MIcrotnx iraidlKxjindlnix), Yukon Xkhw-
ming {Lc/ninu)i i/idi»h iij^t's), Dull varyinjj hiiro {Lcjxin (inui'lmnHs d<dl!)^
and tundra weawcl {PatorliiH arctioin). Of the bird.s, tho nio.st char-
acteristic aro tho duck hawk (^Falco jxireyr'mus anatuni), pigeon hawk
{Falco coluinharlut<)^ Alaska longspur {fcdrarinM/tippmiciM (dit>icc'tm«),
hoaiy redpoll {AcaidhiH hoiitemainii, r.rdiprtt)^ f'>x sparrow {PdnstTcNu
iliaca), Bohemian waxwing {AmpelLs (jiutuIuh)^ and wheatear {Saxicola
mnanthe).

Alaska Tundra d/Mrief. — Tho Yukon from Andraefski o tho coast
of Norton Sound is bounded on l)oth sides ))y typical tundra. Tho
country is low and gently imdulating, and its surface a short distance
away appears to bo thickly carpeted with grass, '"hat this is not tho
real condition a short walk ashore soon demonstrate."- ; but tho delusion
is so lompleto that were it not for the pn'sence of tho great river one
migl fancy himself looking out over the luidulating plains at the
eastern base of tlie Rocky Mountains in the western l^nitiid States.

Tho flora of tho tiuidra, though devoid of trees deserving of tho
name, is found on careful examination to 1)0 (piite varied. Besides
tho numerous mosses and heathers and man}' sniaii berry-))earing
plants aro dwarf willoAvs, birches, and ald(M's, Tho alders attain tho
greatest size, but aro usually found in isolated clumps in favorable
spots, where they often grow from (> to 8 feet high. Tho ground is
frozen a few inches below the surface, and the heavy, spongeliko cover-
ing of vegetation is kept constantly saturated. Occasioiud high bluffs
on tho coast in exposed situations aro ])leak and bai'e, but besides
these there is scarcely a spot not covered with low, matted vegetjition.
Numerous small ponds aro irregularly distributed over tho tundra,
and around them tho vegetation is ranker than elsewhere. Broken
lava borders tho shores of St. Michael Island, and small moss-covered
heaps of it, which form practicall}' the only .solid footing on tho island,
aro scattered al)out over tho tundra.

Characteristic manunals at St. Michael aro tho Hall Island fox
( Vidj>es hallenais). Nelson vole {Micro/Kn ajft'/'ar/'un), tundra red-))acked
mouse (H/ootoniys dawsoni, ahiscensit^), Nelson pied lenmiing {Dicro-
sUmyx ndwni), Alaska le; Miing {Lemmas ahuscem^is), and Alaska Arctic
haro {Lepnti othm). Land )irds known to breed are the hoary redpoll
{Acantlm hornemanni etl/pefi), common redpoll {Acaidhis llnaria),
Alaska longspur {Calcarlus lapponious ala«ctii{iif<),, Avestern tree spar-
row {SpheUa montlcoJa ochraccd)^ golden-crowned spai'row {Zonotrichia
cotaiiatu), and Sil>orian yellow wagtail {Btidyhs farus h'ncasti'iaf.Uf<).
Connuon tundra plants' aro Caasiopea tetragoiia^ Amlromalapolifolia^
Vaccinhnn, vUisidim^ 2fairania alj)ii)a, Lediiin, jKdxiMrc, Artemisia

'Nelson, lioimrt uikju Nuturnl History Collections in Aliuska, ISO, 1887.

!^ I

:||

^1;

':,!

il i !

NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA.

[NO. 19,

arcttca, Ruhus clkanicemm-m^ Ruhm arcticm, Betula nana, Alnus
sinua/i(, ChamcBci^tm ^rroowmfi^^'s, and Turn llago frig ida.

aUMMAKY OF FAUNAL UISTUICTS.

All tho country here considered is in the Iwreul zones, the Tundra
district and a small part of the White Pass district belonging to the
Arctic subdivison, and the Yukon Valley principally to the Hud-
sonian, though it has also a well-marked Canadian section. Birds
are c(, •iparatively nire in all the interior region, and it is difficult to
determine the exact range of many species. Some were seen but
once or twice; others appeared sporadically at rather long intervals;
while still others that are known from the region wen^ not seen at all;
so it is hardly safe, in making generalizations, to rely too much on
the ranges observed by us. The distribution of trees and shrubby
plants and of many of the mammals, however, could bo determined
with much greater accuracy and constitute relitJ)lo guides in fixing
the limits of the districts. These districts are in general the same
as those recognized by Nelson, but with more definite and somewhat
modified limits. Names slightly different from those he used are
adopted here in order to agree with the commonly accepted names
of the primary zones of North America. Thus tho part of his 'Alas-
kan-Canadian' district here considered is called the 'Hudsonian
Yukon' district, since it lies entirely within the tmnscontinental Hud-
sonian zone. Owing to fluviafile conditions, tho boundaries of the
Yukon districts doubtless do not agree in latitude with those which
might be made away from the rivers."

The zones which we successively traversed in going from Skagway
to St. Michael via White Pass and tlio Yukon are: (1) Canadian; (2)
Hudsonian; (8) Arctic-Alpine; (4) Canadian; (5) HudsGr.i'ui. and (H)
Arctic. The Lynn Canal district is in the Canadian zone, but it has
some slight peculiarities such as are to be expected in a coast district.
Though it does not have the Hudsonian animals of the northern coast,
it lacks seveml of tho typical Canadian forms of the coast farther
south.* It is really near the northern limit of the Canadian zone on

•The coast of Alaska Houth of tho iieninmila, or what litw boon known as the 'Sit-
kan district,' may Ik^ eaaily (livitle<l into two dlHtrict*) corr(»<(., Hiding to tho Canmlian
and Hudsonian zones. Lynn Canal iH Hituatcd near tho hounchiry lH!tweon tliese
districtH. /inion^ Canadian niainnialH wiiich have their contor of al)undanco in the
re8tri<'t<.'d Sitkan district on tho ooa»'t soutli of Lynn Canal an-: Odoivi'eiiH sitkciwiit,
Sciurwi vancmivcrensU, Peromi/Hrwi mnrrorhinm, I'Jvotomiin irninydi, Microtics tiuKriirus,
Synaptomya tornni/eli, Zapii« mltnlor, and .Vi/o//.'i filnnrmxiK. Anionjf tho Hiidsoniaii
forms found on the coast only north of T;yiin Canal are: Il<in<f\fer sp., Oris dalli,
SduniK hwhtmlruK, Sfifrmophilun r. plesiiis, /,<iimK h. alaticfiisis, Ochotnua rnllari», and
Mi/oUk liirifuffii*. Anions trt'oH which find their northern limit in the vicinity of
Lynn Canal are: Thujn pliralu, AhifH laHlonirpti, and I'iiin.i murmi/aiin. Tho northern
district from Lynn Can il to Kadiak in ho Himilar to tii'' ^-'oat intoiior llndHonian
region that it hardly meritH rocojjnition a." a distinct district, but it certainly should
not b«' includca in tho Hitkaii district.

.19,

O(rr.,1900.]

SUMMARY OF FAIFNAL DWTRICTrt.

the Pacific coast. The occurrence at Skagway of inaininalH of the
interior, such as Mlcrotm mordax^ I'Jcatomys (knmon i , and IWomyscua
oreas^ seems to show an approach to the condition farther north where
the coast and interior forms are practicall}' the same. The Canadian
zone of the Lvnn Canal district gives way to the Hudsonian and
Arctic- Alpine in the White Pass district. The character of this dis-
trict is essentially the same as that of other mountain regions in
western North America. This is Avell indicated by the fact that its
mammals include the hoary marmot {Arctoniyx ccdi(jatm)^ the Alaska
pika {Ochotoitd coUarin)^ and the mountain goat {On'fiinnos mantanua)^
and its birds the ptarmigan {Lagopnn /eiwurnn and Z. rupestrifi), the
Tg\\}\i{AiifliiiK])i tiHllmnicKx)^ andth(> rosy finch {Leucobtlctot. Uttonilis^,
The Canadian Yukon district from Bcnncitt to Fort Selkirk merely
represent.-) the extent to which our route entered the extreme northern
part of the Can idian zone; that is, its ''mits are those of the section
that our route made across the crul of a narrow tongue which extends
northward from the great areas ()(<"ui)ied l)y the Canadian zoiie farther
south. Owing to its being .so near the l)()rder of the Ihulsonian zone,
its chara«'ter is not purely Canadian, but the presence of such forms
as chipn-unks {Euti(iin((><) and white-tooted mice {Pt'/-»iiit/sct/,s) among
miiaimal.s, night hawks {Chordelles) among birds, and lodgepole pines
{Pinus inut'rayanii) 'Awwn^ trees, makes it evident that the Canadian
element is very strong. T'he riudsoniun Yukon district represents the
complete section which the Yukon River makes through the great
noi'thern forest belt of the Hudsonian zone. This belt corresponds to
the Alaskaiv-Canadian district outlined by TSelson. it is bounded on
the south by tlu- Canadian zone and ti)e extreme northern limit of
southern foi-nis, and on the north hy the treeless tundra. On the west
it probatily reaches and includes the coast from Kadiak to Lynn Canal;
on the ea.st its liniits are unknown. The Alaska Tundra district defines
itself. Its character is the com])ined result of latitude and rigorous
coast climate. Our experience in this treeless district was limited
to St. Michael Ishmd and the ninety miles between Andracfski and the
numth of the Yukon. The animals of this region are not all ab.so-
lutely contined to it, many of them ranging some di.^tance into the
forest belt. Sniiill mammals, such as the Nelson vole {Mlrrofm 02>e-
rdi'iitx), occupy so-called 'islands' — local spots ottering what are prac-
tically tundra conditions -as fai' within tlu^ f(H'est belt as Circle.

'Tlio WW of MinvtiiK vwnld.r at tlin lu'iiil of Lyim Canal i.-< |iartic'iilarly interesting,
niiice a clowi'ly related form, M. mncruniy, \nw l)eeii found at (i lacier Bay on tlie
nortli side of the mouth of the eanal and also at Juneau on the nout.i fide, and
would therefore !)« exiH'cted at Sltafiway, whieti is halfway hetween. .\«™niing
tliat (/KKvvinf.t has l)ceii dinperned froia the soutli northward on the coa-st, it seems
that it did not reach Glacier l?ay hy way of the present niainlann, otherwise it would
be found at Ska^way. .U. »(()»•.' ■ doubtless rcuclied iskugway from the interior.
i4'J4— No. "lU 2

* I

I !

IT 'r^

NORTH AMKRICAN FAUNA.

[NO. li».

The fauna of tho Yukon l)asin as a whole is composed of two prin-
cipal elements, one containing al)soIutcly circumpolar forms, cvidentl}'
derived from the north, the other contjiining forms which have their
center of abundance farther south. This is particularly true of the
mammals. Among the genera belonging to the north may be men-
tioned Rangife)\ Evotoniyn, Lemmua, and DuroHtonyx, all of which
are circumpolar in distribution; those from farther south are Alces^
Sciuropterus, Eutamias, Peromyscu^, NeoUmia, Fihe)\ and Synaptomyn.
With the exception of alpine species and a few wide-ranging forms,
chiefly carnivores, the ^•ariations of which are not sufficiently known
to be of use in deflning faunal regions, no species of manmials are
common to the Yukon region and the Sitkan coast district. From
this it seems that all the southern forms which reach the Yukon region
have been derived from the interior rather than from the coast. This
is also true of the trees and to a great degree of the birds. But, on the
other hand, some species of land birds are common to the lower Yukon
and the Sitkan district while a large interve- !ig area in the interior is
uninhabited by them.' Srhii^phorHK rufm, Dcmlrolca towtiseiidl, and
Ilyloclchla aotialuschl'iv were found on both sides of White Pass, but
only rarely and for a very short distance on the interior side.

PRKVIOUS WORK.

Our knowledge of the natural history of the Yukon region has been
derived chiefly from two sources — the members of the Kusso- Ameri-
can Telegraph Expedition and the Signal Service officers formerly
stationed at St. Michael. The first information was gathered by the
scientific corps of the Telegraph Expedition of 1865 to 1808. Promi-
nent among the members of this corps were Robert Kennicott, Wil-
liam H. Dall, and J. T. Kothrock, all of whom secured valua))le speci-
mens und information. The notes of Kennicott were not published,
owing to his untimely death at Nulato, May 13, 1866, but numerous
specimens, particularly from the vicinity of Fort Yukon, are now in the
National Museum, a moinunent to his faithful pioneer work. An)ong
the numerous papers on various subjects relating to Alaska published
by Dail are lists of birds and manunals.'' A list of plants including
some records from Fort Yukon was published by Kothrock.''

'One of thcTO wpecies is tho varied tliruHh { Hrnjxrocirhla ninna) which wan found
in the Lynn Canal district, hut not in any numlHTH ir. tiie Yukon Valley alwve I)a\v-
Hon. Below Dawson it is (juite coninion along the Yukon and undoubtedly ))reedH
there. It is well known to ran>j;e ulonjj; the Pacific L-oast to Kudiak, and thence to the
shoreH of Kotzehue Sound and up the Kowak River. It« abaenco on tho ITpiwr
Yukon and its occurrence all alonjr the coast make it extremely probable that in
reaching tho Yukon its course of migration is up the river from its mouth.

'List of Birds of Alaska, by \V. II. Dall and II. M. Bannist«>r<''Trans. Chicago Acad-
emy of Scionces, I, pt. 11, 2()7-.'5l(), 1800; also Alaska and it« liesourccs, by \V. IJ.
Dall, Boston, Lee & Shepard, 1870.

"Sketch of the Flora of Aliwka, by J. T. Rothrouk< Annua' Report Huiithsoniau
Institution, 1807, 433-403.

.1S».

OCT., 1900.]

NEW 8PECTE8.

In 1S74, with the estal>]isLinent of a meteorologic^al ntation at St.
Michael, work was begun ])y Lucien M. Turner. lie collected al)out
St. Michael and secured specimens from the fur traders and natives
on the Yukon as far up as Fort Yukon, The results of his work Avere
published in the Arctic Series of the Signal Service.'

Turner was relieved in 1877 In'^ E. W. Nelson, who continued to
collect specimens until 1881. His work was more extensive than that
of Turner, but was carried out along tlie same lines. He mado several
trips up and do.vn the coast from St. Michael, and also worked about
the Yukon delta and up the river as far as Anvik. L. N. McQucsten,
who conducted a trading post at Fort Reliance, furnished him with
numerous specimens and much valual)le information. The results of
Nelson's work were also published in the Arctic Series of the Signal
Service ^ and form ])y far the most valua])le contribution to the natural
history- of Alaska j'et made. In 1889 an important report •' was pub-
lished by Dr. George M. Dawson, covering the region of the .sources
of the Yukon and down as far as Fort Selkirk. This report contains
detailed descriptions of the ph3'sical features of the upper river, notes
on natural history, particularly on the distribution of trees, and a list
of plants by John Macoun.

NEW Hl'ECIKS.

Nine new species and sulwpecies of mannnals are described in the
present report. They arc as follows:

Sriumpkrus yukonennix.
iSdurnii hudsonicus ])ctulaiw.
Knlamiax canicrps.
Spermophihix etiipdni plesiut.
Ncotoma ndxavuim.

Filur upatulatHx.
Lcpus mlkiiJt.
Lutreitia oIkoh iixjeii.'t.
Mustela amcricaitu ncliionit.

In the collection of ])irds, three new forms were found. These have
been described by Dr. Bishop* as follows:

( 'aitachUcs canadensis osgoodi.
Snyomis saya yukwioisis.

Omlujiiis richardsoni natiirnlH.^.

'Contributions to tlio Niiturul History of Alaska, by L. M. Turner, Arctic Series,
Wgnal Service, Nt>. II, Wiwliiugtoii, 1880.

'Report upon Natural IliHtory Colleetions uunle in Alaska, by E. W. Nelson, Arctic
Series, Signal Service, No. Ill, Washington, 1S87.

'Geological and Natural History Survoy of Cauadu, Annual lieport, III ( 1S,S7-8.S),
Pt. I, « B~'277 n, 1889.

* Auk, XVII, 113-lUO, April, ItHK).

i l!

■

ii i

NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA.

[NO. 19.

Beaidps the, iihovo, sevoral new nminmals which come within tho'
scope of the present report ha\c been recently described by Dr. Mcr-
riaui.' These are as follows:

Leptts americanus dalli.
Ijcpus othua.
Vulpes hallensin.
Sorex personatUK (irctiniK.
Sorex luiidrenM^.

Spcrmophilus onyoodi.
Lemmm ynkonensw.
Ixmmus alnscensis.
Dicroxtony.v nehoni.
Erelhizon (pixarUhm rnijops.

In addition to these, throe new forms recently described by Witmer

Stone ^ should be mentioned:

Dicrostonyx hudgonius alnscemis {vqualn IK mlsoni Merriam).

PuUifina rlxoms fnkimo.

Lyn.c caiuukiisw moliipiloma.

' tproc.Wash. Acad. Rci., 11,1:^-30, March 14,1000.

■' Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Pliila., March 24, 1900, 33-49.

MAMMALS OF THE TTJEON REGION.

By Wii.FUKi) II. OsciooT).

INTRODUCTION.

Tho following list, primarily Imscd on collections iniulc during the
past year, includes all the known nianiinals of the Yukon region.
Besides tho species which belong strictly to the Yukon, are included
those found in the Lynn Canal and White Pass districts and those
known to occur at St. Michael. This makes a list containing the majority
of the mammals known from Alaska, which is not, however, intended
to 1)0 comprehensive, but should be considered as supplementary to
the list published by Nelson in 1887. As may bo seen from the itin-
erary, our collections were made during a hasty trip from tho coast of
southeastern Alaska to tho head waters of tho Yukon and thence down
the river to St. Michael. Good series of all the common small mam-
mals were secured, but the larger and rarer species were not often
obtained. It was not only difficult to secure specimens of the lax'ger
nianunals, ])ut it was hard to gain much accurate information in regard
to them. MosI of tho miners we met had boon in tho country but a
short time and their knowledge of animals was limited; natives wore
seldom met on the upper river and tho few that were interviewed
seemed disinclined to talk. The fur trade on the Yukon has dwindled
to comparatively meager proportions. Tho Indians still })ring a few
furs to tho traders every year and receive pittances of flour and tea in
return; but tho trade is apparently voiy small and were it not for the
transportation business which has roc<Mitly beconio so important, the
largo companies would doul)tloss find it difficult to maintain ihomsolvos.

In identifying the recently collected specimens and studying their
geographical distribution, it has been necessary to refer constantly to
the specimens colloctiHl l)y Kennicott, Dall, Nelson, and Turner. Many
of those, which are in tiio National Museum, were found to bo in poor
condition and ro(iuired consideraltio renovating to make (hem compar-
able with modern specimens. For tiie free use of those si)ocimons I
an' indebted to (Jerrit S. Miller, jr., assistant curator of manunals
in the National Museum. 1 am also ind(>l»tod to Outram Hangs for
the use of spocimons, and E. W. Nelson for nuich valuable informa-
tion. Tho identifications of some of tho manunals have boon verified

i i\

NORTH AMEKICAN FAUNA.

[NO. 19.

by specialists as follows: The species of Sorex by Dr. (1 Hart Merriam;
of MicTotm by Vernon Bailey, and of Zapm by Edward A. Preble.
All measurements are in millimeters.

LIST OF SPECIES AND SXTBSPECIES.

1. Rangifer montamM Seton-Thomi)Hon.

2. Rangifer arcdciis (Rieharclson).

3. Rangi/i-r tarandns (Linna'us).

4. Alces gigas Miller.

5. Oi'is dcdll Nelson.

6. Ore(im)i(M 7Hon/«ntM (Onl).

7. Seiuropterus yuteit";»»M sp. nov.

8. Sciurux /iit(feo})((iw ErxlulKjn.

9. Sciurux hiulMriiiciig petulaunpnhn\>. n<iv.

10. EiUamian cimiceps Hp. uov.

11. Spermophilus empetra plesim HabH|>.

nov.

12. Spermophilus Osgood I Merriam.

13. Arctomiis raliguiiw I'^Hclwcholtz.

14. Cmtor niHadensis Kuhl.

15. Mux deatmanns Pallaf .

16. PeromyscMs orem Bangs.

17. Pflromi/Hcus maniculatus arcticvx

(Mearns).

18. Neotoma suxamans pp. nov.

19. Evolomyg dawsoni Merriam.

20. Evotomyx dawximi alaxvenxix (MilU'r).

21. 3fi(ro/iM Hion7((,c (Merriam).

22. Mi<yrotusdrumiiwndi ( i\.w\.i\i\{\ Hach. ).

23. MicTOtux .vdvthognnOmx (Leach).

24. Microtux opirarlux (Nelson).

25. Fihtr xpatidaiux up. nov.

26. Si/naptomys dalli Merriam.

27. I^mmns yukoncnsix Merriam.

28. Lemmus alascensis Merriam.

29. Dicrostmiyx iielscmi Merriam.

30. Ztipus Jauhonius alascensis Merriam.

31. Erethizan epixanlhus myopx Merriam.

32. Oe//o/(macoZZ(jm (Nelson)

33. Lepns sidieiis sp. nov:

.34. Jjqms americanus dalli Merriam.

35. Tji'pux otiius Merriam.

I')(). Lyv.v raiKideiixix vwllipilosux Stone.

37. Canix orridciitalis Eichardson.

38. f Vtdpex fidvHs (Desmarent).

39. Vid)>ex haUcnxis Merriam.

40. Urxiix iimcricainis Pallas.

41. I'rxitx liornliillx :<lascemix Merriam.

42. fjiitra rdiKidnixix (Schrelwr) .

43. Lntrenlii rixon ixgcna su1)H]>. nov.

44. PuUtrlus arcticus Merriam.

45. Pntoriux ricognani alascensix (Mi^r-

riam.)

46. J'ntorlns riroxtts eskimo 8ton( .

47. .}fiixtt'la (imericana i.rtiwxa pi.lwp. nov.
4H. .)fitxtil(i pninanti Erxleben.

49. Clulo lusrux (L'nnieiiH).

50. Sorer pi'rxoiwtux sireaturi Merriam.

51. Sorex jiersonalus ardiriix .Merriam.

52. Sori'.i: ohscurus Merriam.

53. Sn-f.i- tandrcrmx ^lerrium.
.54. Myotix luci/ugnji (Lt^ Conte).

I~ I

ANNOTATED LIST OF SPECIES.
Rangifer montanns Scton-Thompson. Moiintuin Oai-iltoii.

Rangifer monlaiiux Seton-Tliompson, Ottawa Naturalint, XIII, No. 5, i>, Aiitr. i 1. 1895);
Allen, Bull. Am. Mu.h. Nat. Hint., N. Y., XIII, 1-18, April 3, 1!WX).

This largo woodland caribou is reported ii.s ((iiite coiniuoii in northern
British Columbia altout the head waters of the Yukon and ''or an
indefinite disttmce nori:hward. P does not oceiir on the coiust south of
Cook Inlet, but is iM'portcd from many jjoints inuncdiately beyond the
summit of the coast mountains. It prefers tlie higher ground in
summer and is not foimd idong river bottoms like the moose, for
which reason few are killed by parties descending the river. Its flesh
is smoked and dried l>y the, Indians for winter food, and when so ciiri^d
is preferi"ed to all other meat of the coimtry. Tluv hides, like those
of the moose, .serve the natives for variosis luticleM of (dothing and a"e
utilized especially for sheping robes.

OCT., 1900.]

MAMMALB OF THE YUKON REOION,

Bangifer arcticus (K'chardson). Barron Ground Caribou.

Tho barren ground cnribou ranges over neai'ly uU of extreme north-
ern North America from northwestern Labrador to tho Aleutian
Islands. It was formerly abunihint over this great territory, but is
now quite rare. Even at the time of Nelson's work in 1877 it had
become coi...psnf.tively uncommon, though it was once common all
about Norton Sound and for some distance up the river. The south-
ern and interior limits of its range are uncertain. During our stay
in St. Michael, I .saw half a dozen skins which h- been secured
near Andraefski, 90 miles al)ove the mouth of the Yukon. There are
specimens in tho National Museum from Nushaguk and Unalakleet,
Alaska; and from Rampart House antl La Piern^ llou.s«>, Northwest
Territory.

Rangifer tarandus (Liima'us). Domesticated lieindeer.

During the past few years, as is well known, an effort has been
made to introduce domesticated reindeer from Siberia into Alaska.
The animals as a rule have been carefidly herded, but in a few cases
they have had opportunities to stray away and run wild. The herd
that had perhaps the best chance to stray was one which was l)rought
from Lapland to Haines in 1898, and driven inland over the Dalton
trail. A short time after it started several of the animals were seen
in the forest near Haines, and one of them was killed. This was the
only instiince of the kind ])rought to my attention. l»ut 1 have no
dou))t that reindeer have occasionally wandered from tho care of the
herders at other times and in other places.

Alces gigas Miller. AlaskaMoo.se.

Alv,i^(ji(jit« Miller, Proi'. Biol. Soc. WiihIi., XIII, .■)7-.")0, :\riiy 20, lSi)0.

The Alaska moose, as has frequently been stated, is the largest of
the door family in North America. Its distril)ution along the Yukon
extends from Lakes Atlin and Tagish at least to the mouth of the
Taiiana and probaldy somewhat farther. Whymper ' says that it was
'never known as low as Nulato,' even in tho time of its greatest
abundance. It is »>vident, however, from the record of Nelson * at the
Yukon deltji, and that of Richard.son^ at tho mouth of tho ]Vrackenzie,
that it does occasionally leave its favorite woodlands of the interior
and w.mder as far as the Arctic coast. At present it is still quite
numerous, ]»ut is chieily conlincd to the small streams tributary to tho
Yukon. According to reports which came to me it is al)undant in the
region al>out the upper waters of the Stewart, Pelly, and Mac^Iillan
rivers. .Vlong the great river itscdf luunbers have be(>n killed during

' TravelH in Alaska ami on the Yukon, 245, 1809.

^ lieiMirt upon Natunil IliHtory Colk'ctiono in Alaska, 2H7, 1887.

■' Fauna Horcali-Aniericana, 2:t.'!, 1829.

. \f

1 }

■' ' Vl I

NORTH AMKKICAN FATTNA.

[NO. 19.

the, recent influx of prospeetoi-s. At the iH^ghming of the. Klondike
rush, it was not uncoinuion for ii part^' to secure one or two moose
whih^ descendiu}; the river, Itiit such is rarely the case iit present.
Our part}' failed to see any, though we spent nearly three months in
the region: during this time we heard of but two animals being
killed, one near the foot of Lake Lcbarge and another on upper
Charlie Creek, a short distance above Circle; both were secured by
Indians. We saw <'omparativel\' few fresh tracks.

In winter, moose meat is th(> staple diet of both Indians and whites
and has readily sold in the mining camps at $1 to !?2 per p<mnd. Such
a price, even in this country of high wages, has l)een a great incentive
to hunting, and many a miner has left his claim to pursue! the moose.
The hides also are a source of profit, particularly to the Indians, who
tan them and make them into mittens and moccasins. What the Indians
do not need they sell readily to miners iind prospectors. It is dif-
ficult to estimate the number of animals that have been kilhnl, but it
must be very large, foi- the demand has l»een steady and a comparatively
large po))ulation has been supplied with meat. On one hunt, an ac-
count of which has been given by Tappan Adney,' 4-i moose were
killed in about one month, and a single party of Indians was credited
with a totid of 80 moose and (!;") caribou in t)ne winter.

Ovis dalli (Nelson). Dall Mountjiin Sheep.

Most of the specinuMis of the Dall sheep which have reached our
museiuns were secured in the vicinity of Cook Inlet, but the animal
occurs in nearly all the high mountains of Alaska, and in the north
ranges to the Arctic coast. Since we were at a distance fi-oui the
mountains during the greater part of our trip, 1 was unal)le to secure
much information in regard to the distribution of the species. Sheep
are said to occur about the AVest Arm of Lake Hennett, and Windy Ai'm
of Lake Tagish. A prospector with whom I talked at Lake Tagish
said he had seen and kille(l them at liotli of these j)laces. Lake Mennett
is not far from the type locality of <>. simal, and it is ])()ssible that
this species occurs there with O. ditll't. Both white aiul gray sheep
are reported, though all are said to be white in winter. 1 was told
that white sheep were killed some years ago on (In^ <'litt's altout Lake
Lebarge, l)ut I failed to (ind signs of them there. l*rosj)cctors at Fort
Selkii'k say that sheep are always to be found in the mountains along
Pelly liiver, i)aiticularly in the AiacMillan Mountains" near the mouth

'HariK'i'H .MiVir/.iiu'.(',4!tr)-:)()7, MHrcli, li)0().

'Tin- f<lu't'i> fniiii tlu' MacMilliiii MouiitaiiiHaiv wiid tu Ik? (ho 'lilack hIu^J),' wliich
nami! oould hardly apj)!)- to 0. dttU'i, l)uti.s \\w. namis cuiinnoiily frivoii t<> (K Klinifi.
If Kloiwi ivally docw (iccur in thi-Ho innniifahiH the rccurd is a very iiittTCHtiiif; uin', and
tho locality niufh farther north than any from which thcHpccicH hiiH hoenprcviunwly
recorded.

#> *

OCT., 1900.]

MAMMALH OK TIIK YUKON KKOION.

of Mat'Milliin River, iiiid thcv wcro also reported from the liead
waters of the Stewart and from tlu; Taiiaiia Hills.

^ ! U

Oreamnos montanus (Ord). Mouiituiii (loat.

Goats occur on th(^ hiffli j^ranite cliffs which incloi^o the upper part
of LyiHi Canal; they are also conuiion on the mountiiins near White
]*ass and ahout tin- rocky walls of Lake Hennett. 1 \va.s told that they
had l>een killed recently at the upper (M)d of Little, Windy Arm on
Lake Tajjish, hut ] could obtain no reliable, report of their occurrence
in tiie interior beyond tliis i)oint. At Lake Le])arge they were very
doubtfully reported. Their ranjre is known to extend north to White
Pass ill the coast niouiitiiins at U-ast to C-opper River,' Itut does not
reach far into the interior. Hunters from the mountains al)out the
upi)er waters of the I'elly and Stewart rivers asserted positively that
none had been heard of in that i'e<(ion.

The station agent at (ilacier. near White Pa.ss summit, told me tiiat
goats frequently appear on the clitl's within ea,sy view of his hou.se.
I le also .showed me the hide of one tiiat had been killed near there
a .short tune before our arrival. I made one .short trij) into these
mountains, but fail(^d to .see any goats. The character of the cliffs
is ideal for them, Imt they had evich'iitly gone farther l)ack to their
sununer feeding grounds, as the abundant tracks and dung were
a few weeks old.

Sciuropterus yukonensis sp. nov. Yukon Flying S(|uin"el.

7'(//)i' t'ruiii Ciiniii Diiviil-Dti, Yuk<iii Ivivrr, near .\la.<kii-( 'iiiiada hiHiiidurv. No. ''■v!!5§i
I'.S. Xat. MiiH. ('olle<-to<l DciviiiIht S, 1S!HI, hy K. K. CarfJoii.

ChartieterK. — Size largest of North American Hying stjuirnds; tail
exceedingly long; color rather dark, imderparts suffu.sed with fulvous;
skidl slightly cliara<'teri/,ed.

Ciiliir. — Top of head, neck, and upperparts to l)ase of tiiil pale cin-
namon or between the wo(kI brown and ciiuiamon of liidgwaj'; under-
fui' ))luish black, partially expo.sed on legs and meml)ranes; underpart.^
dull whiti.sh, irreguhirly suffu.sed with cinnamon fawn; feet dusky
above, lightly edged with ci-eamy wliite, luitl'y white below; cheeks
and sides of head asliy. lightly mixed with ciiuiamon; end of no.se
.slightly paler than to}) of head, not light asliy as in S. ndhnnux; black
eye-ring prominent; tail light fawn below, with a light edging of
dusky, Itecoming liroader toward tip; tail above fawn heavily mixed
with Itlack, which predominates for terminal fifth.

Skull. Size large, slightly larger than in S. (dpiniin; audital
bulla' larger; width at po.storbital constrictio.i greater; molars heavier,
parti«'ularly th(> mandibular series.

» II. T. Allen, Strieiicf, Vll, 67, 188«.

i' i

if*

NORTH AMKBICAN F ATTN A.

[NO. 19.

\ :;i

3ft'Uiiuremetit^.— Total length SOS; tiiil 180; hind foot (niciisurcd
dry) 41. Skull: Occipitonasul longth -iO; zygomatic lu'cadth 25;
postorbital constriction 10.

liemarhi.— Thin .species is distinguished from l)oth /S. sahn'niM nnd
S. aJjnrma by its large size and very long tail, but it is also very dif-
ferent from cither in color. It is evidently a very rare .squirrel, as
the type and one topotype are the only specimens known. A .speci-
men from Chilkoot Inlet which may possibly bo this species has been
recordef^ by Dr. George M. Dawson.' Camp Davidson is the north-
ernmost point at which the genus ScturopttTus is known to occur. The
type and one other .specimen were secured by It. E. Carson, who was
a member of the ])oundary survey party of the V. S. Coast and Geo-
detic Survey under J. E. McGrath, in IS'.K). Dr. VV. W. Kingsl)ury,
also a member of the partj', writes me as follows in regard to these
specimens:

I send you the following notow taken from my journal rciganling two Flying Squir-
rels which were captured by a nu!ndx?r of our party while in Alaska, in ISOO; their
skin.>< were sent to the National ^Mu.Heuui at Wiujliington.

The female was (>aught Dec. 8th, I8<M), and the male Dec. 9th, 1800. Both sfjuirrels
were cnught iu a trap known sw the 'dead fall,' which wius set by K. K. Carson for
marten. The traps were set in the be<l of a frozen stream, where it nui through
a clump of spruce tr<>es alxiut one-fourth of a mile l)ack fron\ the Yukon river.
This clump of trees i.s about 2J miles east of the International Ijoundary line, and
on the east bank of the Yukon river.

We showed these skins to Ixith McQuesten and Mayo, two traders wlio liad Iwen
in that country over twenty years, and who .said that they liad seen Flying Scpiirrels
along the Yukon river quite a nundxT of times before, and liad also seen them at
Ft. Reliance and Ft. Yukon; but had not sei-n any of them for a nimdKTof years
before this date. We also showed the skins to an Indian, who said these scjuirrcis
would attack a man by flying in his face, and the Indians woul<l not eat them
l)ecause the stjuirrels ate dirt.

During the winter and si)ring of that year, I hunted very carefully in tlie vicinity
where^hese s<inirrels were captured, but failed t" fmd further tnice of tlieni. The
stomachs of Ixttli of these .squirrels were empty The traps in whicli they were
caught were set for martens, and two or three liad l)een caught, but none were caught
in these traps after the s<iuirrel8 were caj)turetl.

ScinruB hadsonicus Erxleben. Hudson Bay Red Squiri'el.

All the red .squirrels from the Yukon l)asin and northern .Vlaska, as
far as can be determined at present, are referable to Scliirua lnuhoitt-
cua 'proper,' although those from the Upper Yukon show considerable
tendency toward S. h. drmtorl. Most of th(5 Yukon specimens are
in summer pelage, while the few availa))le specimens from eastern
Canada and the vicinity of Hud.son Bay are in winter pelage, so that
close comparison is not possible. Specimens from various points
along the Yukon from Bennett to Nulato have been examined. The

» Geol. and Nat. Hist. Survey of Canada, Annual Report, III (1887-88), pt. 1, 60 A,
1880.

[V0.19.

North Aniaur.an Faur.-i, No, 1 j.

Plate IV.

i <

#^V':S

1 '■'J 'A

•*'

' «

' ' \-

'un

.-^T^^m\

-m

/' -

RiK» 'J

't^

'l- ■•

.«

ft *. .

?^ >r..;i::

JsV'H

i4 t

f'^

[ '■* ,

■;••■' Hi

■. ■. [ ^i'- ■

^V^^

#7■"/^^■'i

■ ^ •• t '

■it

' 'k ^

■ . ^-

\[..^:-^)^

>'Si

- '■ • 1*

J-Biftl:

&<^

Fig. 1.— Nests of Red Squirrels in Spruce Thicket.

Fig. 2.— Burrows made by Red Squirrels in loose Scales stripped
FROM Spruce Cones.

5 Ml
' '■ fli

'■ It,

orT.,lflno.]

MAMMALS OF THE YUKON REOT(»N.

» ■ *

1 t

iiiiimiil is oxccodiiifjly ahuiulaiit in all tlu>, Hpriico fonvst, and d()ul>tlo8M
ranges northward to the limit of trocs.

Evidenti's of its activity arc to })o found all thri)Uf,'h the spruoo
forest. Its {^lohulai* nests of grass, moss, l)ark, and icfiise are com-
mf)n (Plate IV, Hg. 1), and are usually situated near the trunk of some
slender spru('(>, 10 or 20 feet from the ground. Sometimes several
will Ik! found in the sam tree, and a half dozen or more are very
often to be seen at the same time Little excavations in the mos.s
show where the chickarees have? been. digging for roots; and spruce
cones tucked away in these and otluM' out-of-tluvway places are fur-
ther tn'idence oi their sagacity. The ground is often strewn for some
distance with the scales of spruce cones which they have stripped
(Plat(^ IV. fig. 2). Near Lid<e Marsh I found one such place 20 feet
S(iuare which wa.s covered ($ inches deep with scales.

Sciurus hudsonicus petulans subsp. nov.

7V/« from (ilacitT, White I'a.«H, Alaska (altitudo 1,H70 fwt). No. 97457, IT. S. Nat.
Mils., I'.iolot'ical Siirvoy Collection, ? a.l. Collected .hiiw 4, 1899, i)j "".V. H.
()«Kof><l. Orijjimil No., 370.

('hdi'dctii'K. — Similar to S. hiKhontcux^ >)ut larger and darker; central
portion of tiiil darker and with slight mi.xture of black; submarginal
l)lack in tiiil wider; edging of tail much darker; underparts not pure
white in sunmier. Similar to Sciuru« h. streatorl^ but more reddish;
central portion of tail with much less admixture of l)lack; sul)terminal
black in tail mu«'h narrower. Somewhat similar to >'. i'<iiicoin'ci'e7isii<^
l)ut paler and cranially ditt'erent; laterid stripe much more prominent;
siiltmarginal and subterminal black in tail narrower; median dorsal
stripe less suffused; m<Hlian dorsal hairs of tiiil with much less black.

Color. — Sunrmcf jtcUuic: Tpperparts between the raw um1)er and
Prout's brown of Ridgway; top of head slightly darker than back;
lateral line prominent, intense black; forelegs and feet russet; xmder-
parts lightly washed with fulvous; median dorsal portioi> of tuil hazel,
slightly mixed with black-t'pped hairs; submarginal and subterminal
black in tail rather limited; euging of tail ochraceous; luider surface
of tail paU'r than upper, the grayish roots of the hairs showing through.
Wintrt' jiihuj,'; Similar to the coiresponding pelage of A'. Andsoiiicws,
but considerably darker; median dorsal line more diffuse; tail darker
and with gretitcr admixture of black in central portion.

S^'ifll. — Similiir to that of hmUonlcas and its other subspecies; nasals
longer and posteriorly more compressed than in S. vonconmTcnKix;
orbital arch with a sharp indentation between lachrymal and postorbital
process. (See Plate V, tig. 2.*)

j)/'i'a,'<iin>iiic/itii. — Average of two specimens from type locality:
Total length :^03; tail 120; hind foot 50.

i I

1. 1

I ■

'Topotype N'o. 97460, U. S. Nat. Mus. Compare with (ifr. 1, ■'>. roncouvfreims, No.
71889, U. 8. Nut. Mus,, from (ioldstreain, Vancouver Island.

NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA.

[NO. 19.

hi 1 *

It i"

Hem irh'i.—Tho, closest relationship of this red squirrel is (evidently
with /ni(lfio/i/'eu« of northern Alaska.' A sinjfle specimen from Ya-
kutat Bay shows a decided tendency toward the northern form, a!>d
those from Cook Inlet are clearly referable to it. A more or less im-
perfect specimen from Inverness, British Columbia, indicates a possi-
ble intergradation with Sr/'i/rnJi li. Htrea ori. Thei-e is ample material
deir^onstratinj^ by skulls as well as by color that it has no very close
relationship to S. raneouvet^eitsis. My specimens of pei/ulaiw taken
early in Jime are in new sunnnpr pelage or in old winter pelage just
previous to oi- in process of change. The latter dou))tless does not
fairly repi'esent the Avinter pelage; but in making comparison with
eastern specimens, 1 have chosen those in a similar condition.

Al)out Lyim Canal ruid on the southwest side of White Pass I
found these red squirrds almndant. Several at (Jiacier had become
quite tame, and cai> d '.-very day to the cabin of one of the I'ailroad
hands to be fed. They have all the vivacious energy, curiosity, and
vocal accomplishi'.ients of their pjasteni cousins, and fully maintiiin
their reputation f yr roUi'-king good natun' and fearlessness.

Eutamias caniceps sp. nov. Gray-headed C'hipnmnk.

l)l}if frcin I^ke Txiljiirge Northwest Territory, Canada. No. !»!t2(X1, V. S. Nat.
MuH., Biological Survey (\>lleetion, 9 ad. Collectinl ,Tuly 13, IHOit, by \V. II.
OHgood. Original No.,()0.'{.

('harKctcvK. — Simil.a' to E. Ixmalis, but grayer. ])»rticularly the head,
tail, and feet; postauricular spots more prominent; undcrparts pure
white.

Coh/r.—Siotunei' or jxiufhi'ddliKj jxhuji-: Sides l»right ochraceous,
extending from Hanks forward and stopping immediately Itelow ears,
but interrupted at shoulders \i\ tiie extension of gray froiu arm; five
black stripes )n Itack very distint-t and, except outer ones, entirely
unmixed with ochraceous; outer pair of light strijies pure wiiite,
prominent, not continuous with postauricidar spots; inner light stripes
bluish white mixed Avith ochraceou.N; top of head l)rownisli gray;
postauricular spots l)luisli white, connected with throat l)y a continuous
light stripe running below ear; light stripes on sides of liead promi-
.,ent, almost pure white; dark stripes rufous mixed witli l)lackish,
narrower and darker than in K. luiiwulh; undeiparts pur > white; feet
yellowish white. Worn jxJtHji': (ienenil etfect of upptrjjarts olive
gray relieved iiy thi^ black and white stripes of the buck and faint
traces of the fulvous, wiiicli has been worn away; feet gray isli white;
tail above l)lack, grizzled and overlaid with white, l)elow clay color
submargined by black and margined by wliite.

'The limlmuiniK of noriI:"rn .Maxkn i.' 1:. re eoiL^idered tlu^ naiiie an tliat from
eastern Canada, 1ml will <loiihtii . " |/ro\(. sepanilth- when an ahundanee of niati rial
iu all iK'lugcH M availublo.

■* ♦

19.

OCT., 1900.]

MAMM/LS OK THK YUKON RE(»ION.

Skull. — Similiir t<)thii>: of K Ixu'edlis, ])iit with a sliji^htlv fuller briiln-
cttsciiiul largtM" aiiditul bulhc.

Mc(WurenK;)itti. — -Typc^ (from dry skin): Total l(>ii<jth 223; tail verte-
bra} 103; hind foot 32.

Remarla.—ThG type ' of E. hn'euUa from Ft)rt liiard, British Colum-
bia, is missing, but specimens from Foit Simpson, which is not far
from Fort Liard, and other points east of the Rocky Mountains, are
available for comparison. These are all much suifused with fulvous,
an<l are very easily d'stinguished from tho>;e of the Upper Yukon.
E. mnicejjH is characterized not only l»y gray head and cheeks, but by
gray feet, gray edging to tail, and pure white underparts.

This species is found from tlu; headwaters of the Yukon about Lake
Lindeman to the vicinity of Fort Selkirk, Avhere it was last seen by
our party. I foiuid it most common in the di'v and open lockj'
country about Lake Bennett and Laki^ Lebaige. and a few wei'c taken
in the tlii.-ketijof LcjHii'ijijrd'it al»outLake ?,Iitvsii and Fifty-Mile llivcr.
It is no'; aliundant anvwherc in the region. l)ut is remarkably tame
and unsuspicious. T seldom saw more tlian two oi' three in a half
day's tramp, but these would often fri-k .ibout within a few feet of
me as if entirely oblivious of my presence.

Spermophilus empetra plesius subsp. nov. rx-nnett (Jroimd Siiuirrel.

TijiH- from lU'iiiictt City, ''ojul nf Lako ]5oiiiK'tt, liritinli Coluiulmi. No. ilKilMl, V. «.
Nut. yXw.y Biological Survey ('olh'ction, J ml. Collected June li). IHVitt, by
W. II. Ospjoil. '^)ri);iiial Xo.,4<).").

Cio!r'>''f,i'n. — Similar to X. iinjulro and S. l-it(l!((cniKl.-i., but smaller;
general color less fulvous; under side of tail always clear bright cimia-
mon rufous; molar tet'th relatively much larger tlian in kadUicennU,'
skull small and light if.vl otherwise slightly peculiar.

CdIov. — Podhv KiiiKj 2><lii<J< •' Above, mottled as in S. einjxiffti, but
general colorless fulvous; upi)erparts, mi.xcd black, white and yellow-
ish gray » xtending forward to toji of head, l)eeoming narrower and
slightly grayer between shouhh'rs; top of head chestnut mixed with
black; nose and forehead clear lia/cl; uiuh'r side of body cimiamon
rufous paling to nearly white around chin and extending to sides of
l)ody, neck and clieeks, and both sides of legs; under side of tail somc-
whatdeeper cinnaiiKit rufous marguicd by yellowish white; su)»terminal
black in tail less (>.\tcnsive than in i nipi^nt i\.\\i\ kudidcmKin; ni;Hlian
part of ui)per side of tail grizzled l»lack and yellowish, narrow sub-
margin and sul»terminal zone black, the whol(> edged and overlaid with
3'ellowi><h white. The hairs of the back in iS. yV'.s//^vare of two kinds,
some l)eing of several coK>rs arranged in zones and some puie black
for their entire length. The foinier, which are most abundant, arc
dark i>oty plumbi'ous at th(> I)ase followed liy a zone of light gniy,

' Sco Allen, liull. Am. Mui-. Nal. IUhI., N. Y., Ill, lOU, 181)0.

uilfl'«/.'

NORTH AMKRUIAN FAUNA.

[NO. 19.

then one of l)l!'.ck, tlu'ii yollovvish whitv, aiid liinilly :i bliirk tip. In
S. c/njh'/rd, ihv iin'unjfcnu'nt is jniu'tically tiif sanio, but the upper
part of the iig'it j^riiy zone blends into fulvous. .V.s this is the widest
zone, it gives a fulvous suffusion to the entire ui)perparts of the ani-
mal. In ple»t' 11^ the l)laek subniargin of tlie tail never shows through
on the under side. II wv; Kj>r//i</ jhhu/c: Upperparts yellowish gray;
top of head, forehead, and nose cinnamon rufous; thighs with fai»it
suggestions of rufous; shoulders and neck hoary; sides and ui Hoi
parts grayish white washed with yellowish and flecked with ocl'
ous; feet pale buify ochraceous; t^iil paler than in postbreeding pelage.

Skull. — Siniilar to that of S. empetrn f I'oni llnalaska, but smaller
and lighter; nasals shoi-ter and wider in proportion to their length;
postpalatal notch ext<>nding farther forward, 1)eing almost on a
plane with the last molar; molar teeth decidedly larger than those of
Itadiucensh.

M&lKitroiientx. — Type (from dry skin): Totjil length 845; tail \'erte-
braj 1>3; hind foot 5(>. Skull of type: Basal length 45; zygomatic
breadth 35" postor])ital constriction 13; length of nasals 18; least
width of nasals (5; alveolar length of molar series 13.

jRenuirkn. — The material representing S2>ernioj)hllui< t'lnjhirn is still
very scanty and imperfect. Specimens from the Arctic coast an; few
in number and poor in ((ualit}', while from Hudson Ba}^ on(^. flat skin,
unaccompanied 1)\' a skull, is all I am able to tind. I have considered
this (No. 13!t32, II.S.N.M.) to be typical of ctuin'trit and have us;»d
it in making skin comparisons. Since it agrees fairly well with speci-
mens of the ground squirrel whii-h has been introduced on llnalaska, I
have used the skulls of these for skull comparisons. Specimens from
Bristol Bay and the Alaska peninsula are apparently intermediate
between rinjittrd and j>/cxiu^. S. hKHacinxix is apparently coiilincd to
Kadiak Island, as specimens from the mainland iunnediately opposite
the island are cranially and dentally distinct. The southern members
of the group, fvy/*//;^7>/V/y/*/.s' and </'j/f/t /■oi// iit •n.s, iiho need not be con-
sidered, as they arc \'cry difl'ercnt from < inpitra iiudj^h-xfiix.

/S. plesim was flrst met with on tlie south side of White Tass near
Glacier, where a small colony was found on a steep rocky slojjc abovo
the canyon. They were activt; here in early June while patches of
snow still lay on the ground. On the sununit.ol' Wh<t(^ I'iiss another
small colony was found, and at Lake Benncit th< "' >vor(^ \ ciy nbundant.
Here their ])urrows are t(/ be found wherever the coiif'^r .lii ion of the
rocks affords lodgment of suflicicnt soil. From Bennett on to Fort
Selkirk they are exceedingly abundant. We saw them daily about all
th«' lakes, and as we floated down Fifty-Mile and Thirty -^lile livers,
we «)ften saw them bobbing in and <nit of their burrows or scurrying
along their little trails whi<'h score the banks.

From suni'isc till late in the afternoon, their sharp clicking erica

(HT.,19U0.i

MAMMALS OV THK YUKON KKUION.

rang out !UT08.s the water, isu tluit, it" nt)t to Itc scon, th»!y at least
reminded iis of their presence nearly all tlui time. When alarmed,
they stand erect on their haunches near their Imrrows and violently
utter their sharp, high-pitched cUckrty c/ick as long as the exciting
cause is in sight, alwa\'s emphasizing each cry bj' vigorously slapping
their shoi't tails against the gron'ul hnViind them. As a rule they were
quite wary, and it was not possil)le to get within gunshot without .some
cone alment and careful stalking. The limit of tlui range of the spe-
cies along the river is near Fort Selkirk. The; last specim(>n .secured
was caught near Rink Rapids, 1»ut I learned that (juite a coh)ny of
ground s(piirrels exists on the west })ank of the river just below Fort
Selkirk.

Spermophilns osgoodi Merriam. Fort Yukon (Iround Scjuii-rel.
tSjD'niiojth'.lrix (iMjiiwIi 'M.i'rria.w, Troc. Wunh. Acail. Sci., II, IS, March 14, 19(X).

From Fort Selkirk, near the limit of Sj>,'riiif>j>/iifii.'<j A'.sv'«.s in the inte-
rior, nearly to Circle, we saw no signs of ground s([uirrels of any kind.
Just before reaching Circle, however, we began to sec unmistakal)lo
signs of them and were soon attracted to a small colony by their click-
ing calls which reached our ears as we iioated down in midstream.
The call is executed in about the same time as that of A'. plc.sJi(f<^ but
its pitch i.; nmcli lower and its effect on the ear is utterly different.
It suggests the click of castanets. On going ashore we found their
burrows and connecting paths scattered oviT (luite an area on tlie hill-
side. The coh)ny occupied the open hillside and a few ledges of loose
ock, and even extended down into a thicket of alder and willow at
the foot of the hill. The animals were v 'ry shy and ))ecame nuu-h
excited at our approach. Their long tai s Avere very noticeable in
marked contrast to the short ones of A'. j>/W«,v, which wo had been
•iftomed to seeing. Fifteen spccimei s Avere secured.' At this
ti' •' 'Vug. 14) they were all very fat and in splendid postbreeding
pelage; the entin^ underi)arts were rich ferruginous without a trace of
any other 'olor; tlu*, batk was \-ery dark, and the, long tail was full
and bushy. One spechuen was pure glossy black with faint shadowy
indications of vcrmi<'»dation on tlu^ back. Among the specimens in
the National Museum from Fort Yukon are several in this melanistie
condition, showing that it is not unconnnon. The lange of this spe-
ci(>s on the Yukon begins about 20 miles alK)ve Circle and extends at
least to Fort Yukon and probably to the moutli of the Tanana.

i- \

Arctomys caligatus Fschscholt/. i lumy Marmot.

Six specimens of the hoary lUarmot were ^ecured in the White Pnm
region and about Lake Bennett, where it was v>oinnion. It is conffned

' Tliin viilimlilt' ncrii-s wmh mil'di'tnimtclv I'cstnivcil.

NORTH AMERICAN F^UNA.

fNo. ID.

? I

i' I

to rocky, mountainous parts of thi^ Hiulsoniaii zon«, and consciiuent'y
we did not meet with it during the latter part of our trip, and onlj'
heard of it through reports from the mountains at tlic hcadwutiM-s of
the White and Tanana rivers. As elsewhere, it is familiarly known
as the 'whi Kr.' although occasionally rather inappropriately called
'ground hoj,.' long drawn whistle is peculiarly moiirriful, par-

ticularly when oaks the deathly silence of some rocky canyon. It
loves to stretch ai full length on top of a large rock and bask in the
sun. I frequently found it quietly enjoying itself in this manner.

Castor canadensis Kuhl. American Beaver.

It hardly seems possible that half a million or more beaver skim;
have been secured in the Territory of Ala.><ka. The animal is now
almost as rare there as it is in the, Unit<>d States, the inevitable result
of continued pursuit by both whites and natives, which has so many
parallels that it is useless to emphasize it here. At Fort Selkirk I
saw several ))eaver skins tJiken on a small trilmtary of Stewart River,
and at St. Michael 1 found a very few in tlu^ warehouses of the trad-
ing companies. Beyond this I saw or heard nothing of them.

Mus decumanus Pallas. Norway Rat.

Large rats are exceedingly abundant at St. Michael. Tluur intro-
duction nuist have been effected very recciitly, as they wei'c unknown
there at the time of Nelson's work. ITnalaska has long been their
northern limit on the Pacitic cotist. They find shelter about the
wharves and lumber piles at St. Michael and also infest the ])uildings,
particularly f(HKl warehouses. Their distribution will undoubtedly
soon ))e extended all along the Yukon by means of the many steamers
now plying between St. Michael and Dawson.

feromyscus oreas Bangs. Bangs White-footed Mouse.

Per /!//.>((•»)• oivd.H Hiin>;s, I'roc. Hio'. Soc. \Va«li., XII, H4, Murcli LM, ISilS.

Long-tailed mice were Uikvu at Skagway, Glacier, Sununit, Bennett,
Caribou Crossing, Fifty-Mile Uivei-, and Riidi Rapids. In general
they seemed to l)e more woodland loving than the short-tailed species,
though at Bennett a number were taken among bare rocks at the very
water's edge. I first noticed them here whiles walking along the shore
at night. They wei'(5 darting in and out among the rocks, <'hasing
each other as if playing ti game of tag, and often four or five were in
sight at once. /' (O'cax from the type locality is somewhat intermedi-
ate between my specimens and thosi^ which come from t\w coast of
Puget Sound and southern British ('olumbia. Northern specimens
are slightly larger, paler, and less ruddy brown than typical nrrKn.
The}' are very similar in color to oanad-'Huis and increase the prob-

OCT., 1900.]

MAMMALS OF THE YUKON REGION.

ability that the latter ha.s a transcontinental range. Their skulls are
larger and have fuller braincases than those of either oreas or cana-
densis.

Peromyscas manicula*-.» arcticns (Mearns). Arctic White-footed Mouse.

IRxiuromyg leucojMs ardicus MeariiB, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hut., N. Y., H, 285, Feb.,
1890.

A short-tailed white-footed mouse was found to be very comnxjn
from Lake Marsh to Lake Lebarge. Thirty specimens were secured,
most of them about the crevices of low ledges of I'ock along the lake
shores. The name arct/'cus is only tentatively ased for these speci-
mens, as its applicability can not l)e positively known until a series of
Labrjulor specimens is obtained. My specimens do not differ from
topotypes of aroticus, and these in turn, as stated by Bangs,' do not
differ in color and size from tj^pical inanioulatiis. The description of
the skull of the Gifc vt Whale River specimen examined by Bangs, how-
ever, does not agree N-^ell with the chai-acters of the skulls of arctlcus,
so it seems advisable to recognize arctlcus as a subspecies of manicu-
kitm. It is probal)le that more material will amply justify this treat-
ment of the western form.

Neotoma sazamans sp. nov. Northern Bushy-tailed Rat.

Type from Bt'unett City, head of Iskv Bennett, British Cohniiuia. No. 98923, U. S.
Nat. MuH., Biological Survey Collection, $ ad. Collected June 19, 1899, by
W. H. Osgood. Original No., 462. (See Plate V, fig. 4.)

Chanictirs. — Similar to Neotoma citierea drKmnumdi, but somewhat
darker: underpaiis pure white; skull strongly characterized.

Color. — (Tj'pe:) Above, grajMsh fawn mixed with lilack, becoming
brighter on sides, where the quantity of black is much diminished;
underparts and feet pure white; eyelids intense black with a limited
sooty area about them; nose and anterior cheeks ashy; tail slaty above,
white below.

Skull. — Similar to that of JV. drummondl (Plate V, fig. 3') but with
intcrorbitrtl space nai'rower; nasals narrower and more attenuate j)os-
tcriorly; maxillary arm of zygoma lighter; sphenopalatine vacuities
optMi; ventral surface of occipital with a high trenchant median ridge;
front of incisors very pale.

Mfasuri'nit'iits. — Type (from dry skin): Total length 452; tail verte-
brie l'J2; hind foot -1:6. Skull of type: Ba.sal length 62; zygomatic
breadth 2!»; interorbital width 5; length of na.sals 23.

Remarks. — Neotoma saxainaus differs from N. cluerea^^ N. occldcn-

«Ain. NttturaliHt, XXXTI, 49B, July, 1898.

"^NeoUma c. rolnmhiaiia KUiot dooH not differ craiiially from N, clncrca, and therc-
foH' need i.n)t be conHideretl in this connection.
'No. 75907, U. S. Nat. Muh., from JasiHjr House, Alberta.
4491— No. 1S> 3

NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA.

[NO. 19.

tfiU^^ and N. druvbirumdl chiefly in its long attenuate nasaln, open
sphenopalatine vacuities, and pale Incisors. The only specimens
secured were caught in a slide of large granite bowlders at the head of
Lake Bennett. It was ascertained to occur, however, from White
Pass to the Semenow Hills. In the cliffs above Glacier on the coast
side of White Pass I found signs of Neotoma^ and once one peeped
out of a crevice at me while I was busily engaged stalking a hoary
marmot. It also occurs sparingly in the cliffs alwut Lake Lebarge
and in the Semenow Hills, where the last evidences of its presence
were seen. This distribution makes it the northernmost species of

the genus.

One night about 10.30, as I was returning to camp at Bennett, I saw
one of these rats frisking about in the rocks. It was still quite light,
and I immediately stopped and stood motionless while he daited in and
out of the rocks. His movements were utterly noiseless nnd so quick
that my eye could scarcely follow them. For some time his little
whiskered nose appeared and disappeared at various openiiigs in the
rocks about ten feet away. Each time he would look steadily at me
for a moment or two and then silently vanish. Gradually his curiosity
overcame his caution, and in decreasing circles he canio nearer and
nearer until he bobbed out right before me and then cautiously
approached until he could sniff at the toe of my shoe. A slight grat-
ing of my gun barrel against a rock caused him to vanish like a flash,
and this time he did not reappear.

Evotomys dawsoni Merriam. Dawson Rcd-l>acked Mouse.

Red-backed mice are by far the most almndant iiuuniuals in the
Yukon region. Although but one specimen was taken at Beiuiett,
and none between there and Fifty-Mile River, in spite of considerable
trapping, asidd; from this they were found all along our routt^ from
Skagway to Fort Yukon. The following are the most important
localities at which specimens were secured: Skagway, Glacier, Ben-
nett, White Horse Rapids, Lake Lebarge, Rink Rapids, Fort Sdkii'k,
Dawson, Char.lie Creek, and Circle. From a study of this series,
which munbers over 100 specimens, it appears that all Ix'long t/o one
species, E. daiummi. Its range probably reaches northward almost if
not quite to the limit of trees.

Specimens were trapped in all sorts of localities; along cold streams,
under logs, in heavy moss, iti Mlerotux runways, and among i-ocks.
They aliound on the large islands, where they were generally caught
in dry, l)rushy places, in the dead leaves which cover the ground.
We occasionally saw them du'-ing the day, and often heard tliem rust-
ling the dead leaves on the ground about us as we lay in our blankets
at night. They are the vermin of the miner's larder, and are always
to be found about log cabins.

0»

'■:

-sprrr

North American Fauna No. 19.

Plate V.

Skulls of Sciurus and Neotoma. (y u.)

.H,

> ii

'.i

;|i

1. Sriiirim vniirinnrrruiiiK.

2. N'(i(iHx /iiiilwniCKH ])iiiitanii.

;l. .Sinlniiia ciurrrn ilrummondi.
4. yt'ittown wixrrmd/j.i.

4»

' I

OCT., 1900.]

MAMMALS OF THE YUKON REGION.

ar)

•it*

Evotomys dawsoni alascensis (Miller). Tundra Rod-backed Mouse.
Erotomi/n (danrfin^in Miller, PrcK!. Aca<l. Nat. Kfi. Phila., 1898, ,364-367.

The Evotwnys found at St. Michael hii« heretofore been compared
only with the Asiatic E. rut'ilm. Its closest relationship is really with
E. davmmi, with which its range is doubtless continuous. On com-
paring the .series secured at St. Michael with those in the same condi-
tion of pelage from Rink Rapids,' Northwest Territory, I am utmlile
to find even the slightest difference in color or size. The skull of
alastensis is slightly chai*acterized by small, narrow molar series, and
by na.ssl.8 which have their posterior end truncate. The palate and
audital buUai are not peculiar. The tail is often thick and bristly in
winter pelage and in immature; specimens of both dmmoui and alasceii-
sis. From this it appears that aldscensi'i may be onl}^ a slightly
marked subspecies.

The favorite habitat of these mice about St. Michael is in the heaps
of broken lava scattered about over tlie tundra. They are very rarely
taken in the Microims riuiways. T'hf^v arc; coumion in the warehouses,
which they seem to enter more readily than other mice of the tundra.

MicrotuB mordax (Merriam). Ijong-tailed Vole.

Specimens of this vole wer<^ taken at Skagway, Glacit.i", Bennett,
Lake Marsh, Lake Lebarge, Rink Rapids, and near Charlie Village.
Specimens from near the coast are almost exactly like those of the inte-
rior and all are quite typical of the sp»M'ies. The\' were found in various
environments, but the general habitat of the species was dry places
rather than moist. At Gla<;;ier and Bennett th(n' were secured on dry,
rocky hillsides; at Lake Marsh two specimens were faiken in the crev-
ises of some granite rocks; iit Laki; Lel)arge they were taken in the
kitchen of a log csibin; at Rink Rjipids, in an open, sandy place; and
near Charlie Village, on the side of a cut bank, where they had made
burrows and runways among the exposed roots of trees. Charlie
Village is l)y far the northernmost locality from which the species has
been recorded.

Microtas drummondi (Aud. and Bach.). Drunnnond Vole.

This is the most common meadow vole of the Yukon region. At
Caribou Crossing and Laki; Marsh its runways form interminable
labyrinths in the level, open stretch(\s of sedge at the margin of the
water. It occurs in nearly all moist, grassy places from Caribou
Crossing to Fort Yukon. From there it undoubtedly ranges farther
on, at least to Nulato, where Dali took several spec-imens. It is most
active during the day, as I easily hiarned by visiting traps night and

' No good series of HpecirueiiH w available fnim any point nearer Finlayson River,
the typo locality of /'.'. dawsoni, than Rink RapidH. This series in therefore used to
represent the speeies.

: 1 1

.l.m

NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA.

[no. 19.

morning. Near Fort Yukon I found its runways on recently depos-
ited silt sparsely grown up to Equuetum. Its burrows in this soft
material were very numerous, and at the entrance to each a little heap
of earth in small globular lumps, as if carried in the mouth, wais
always to be seen.

Miorotus xanthognathns (Leach). Ycllow-cbeekod Vole.

This fine species was met with only once. A small colony wa*i found
on a little stream near Charlie Village, occupying an old log jam,
part of which had become embedded in a matrix of sand and mud and
overgrown with weeds. Burrow.s perforated this structure in inuner-
ous places, and well-beaten, open runways connected various opt^nings
about the protruding logs. The little animals were quite active during
the daytime, and as I walked over the logs I occasionally saw one flash
from one opening under a log to another and heai'd shaip little squeaks
sounding all about beneath mo. A liberal number of traps placed
about yielded nine specimens, chiefly immature. The colony Avas
apparently confined to the log jam, as traps set in suitable places but
a few yards away secured only 31. drummondi. Four specimens of
this vole collected by Robert Kennicott are in the National Museum,
one from the mouth of the Porcupine and three from the Yukon, 200
miles southwest of that point.

Microtus operarins (Nelson). Nelson Vole.

This vole was taken on a small stream about 40 miles above Circle,
and a few more were secured between that point and Fort Yukon. It
doubtless ranges from there to the coast. Forty-nine specimens were
taken at St. Michael. These represent all stages of growth and several
phases of color and seem to offer pretty conclusive proof that but one
species of Microtits occurs at St. Michael. It was found in all moist
parts of the tundra, being particularly numerous along t^a banks of
the small ponds :n the tall grass and rank, weedy growths.

Fiber spatulatns' sp. nov. Northwest Muskrat.

Type from Lake Marsh, Northwest Territory, Canada. No. 98567, U. S. Nat. Mus.,
Biological Survey Collection, 9 yg. ad. Collected July 3, 185)9, by W. H.
Osgood. Original No., 552. (See Plate VI, fig. 4. )

Clmracters. — Similar in general to Fiher zlhethlctiH; size small; vxAor
rather dark; skull small; molar teeth very small; nasals short and
much expanded anteriorlj\

Color. — Similar to Fihei' zibet hicus, but apparently less suffused
with fulvous.

Skull. — Similar to that of Fiber zihetklcus (Plate VI, fig. S"), but
smaller; jugals more slender, and but slightly produced dorsally ; audital
bullae smaller; molar teeth decidedly smaller; nasals much shortened and

^ Spalulatm, spatulatc, in allusion to tho shape of the nasals.
»No. 76259, U. 8. Nat. Mus., from Wilmington, Mas^,

* f

n
*

OCT., 1900.]

MAMMALS OP THE YUKON REGION.

* I *

widely expanded anteriorly, rapidly becoming compressed posteriorly;
angular process of mandible short, blunt, and upturned; condyle
nai-row and .somewhat rounded.

MeoKurementH. — Tj^pe (from dry skin): Total length 495; tail verte-
bral 170; hind foot 78. Skull of type: Ba.sal length 57; zygomatic
breadth 38; length of na.sals 21; alveolar length of molar series 14.

RcvKirks. — Specimens of thi.s .species from llga.shik. Fort Kenai,
Nushagak, and Nulato, in Alaska, have been examined. Besides
these, I tind two specimens from Alberta which seem to be refeiiible
to it, one from South Edmonton and one from Henry Hou.se. These
all agree in having very small molar teeth and .short, .spatulate na.sals,
characters which are amply sufficient to distinguish the .species from
all other forms in the genus. The specimens secured by Nelson at
St. Michael can not now be foiuid, but they doubtless show the same
characters. Fiber osoi/oo^ous/'x has larger teeth and a muvh longer
rostrum than spatnltitu^, so need not be further compared with it.
From these facts it appears that FHxr xjpatulatm is the form occupying
all of northwest America, and is derived from a form east of the
Rocky Mountjvins rather than from a western one.

Muskrats occur sparingly all along the Yukon, where they find par-
ticularly favorable environment about the many small swamp-invested
ponds a short distimce from the river banks. At St. Michael a few
are still found about the open ponds on the tundra.

Synaptomys dalli Merriam. Dall Lemmii^j; Mouse.

Lemming mice were taken at the foot of Lake Lebarge, at Rink
Rapids, and near the mouth of the Chandindu River. At Lake
Lebarge they were found in the long grass at the edge of a small pond;
at other localities in cold, boggy places near .small t ciins. The
external characters of S. dull! have been unknown up iv, me pi'esent
time, but, as was to be expected, they are in accordance with the gen-
eral type so uniform throughout this genus. The color of the upper-
parts is chiefly raw umber mixed with black; the lower parts are uni-
form l)luish white, and the feet and tail are dusky. The ears are of
medium size and partially hidden by long hairs growing from the
anterior ba.se; a conspicuous bluish-white side gland is present in the
males. The skull of the tj'^pe of daUl is not fully mature and does
not agree in all particulars with my specimens from the Upper Yukon.
In these the skull is somewhat larger and heavier and the nasals iire a
trifle longer and more noticesrbly constricted posteriorly.

Lemmas yukonensis Merriam. Yukon Lemming.

Lemmus yukoneims Merriam, Proc. Wash. Acjul. Sci., II, 27, March 14, 1900.

This lemming was found at only two localities — Rink liapids, where
five specimens were secured, and Charlie Creek, where five more were

i 1

'\\ I

iflral

r =1

8»

NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA.

[NO. 19.

• i )

■I

? '

taken. Considemble careful trapping was done at various points
between these two places, but no other specimens were s(!cure(l. At
Rink Rapids they were caught about old logs and among dry leaves in
places usually frequented by red-backed mice. At Charlie Creek one
was caught in a M/'c/'ottM runway and seveml were secured on the side
of a cut bank. On one occasion one was seen running about under a
brush heap in middjiy.

Lemmus alascensis Merriam. Alaska Lemming.

///•w?«iw rt/««r«ijri« Merriam, I'roc. Wiwli. Acad. Sci., II, 2()-27, Man^h 14, 1 !)()().

All cflforts to secure this species at St. Michael proved fruitless.
I kept large numbers of traps out for more than two weeks and set
them in all conceivable locations about the tundra, but failed to catch
any lemmings.

Dicrostonyx nelsoni Merriam. Nelson Pied Lemming.

DicroMmnj.v iiel»om Merriam, Proc. Wash. Acwl. 8(i., II, 2.5-20, March 14, 1!KK).
DicroMomj.v hudsonki* alascetmg Stone, I'roc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., Mardi 24, 1!)00,
37-38.

No specimens of this species were taken. Nelson says of it:

SiHJcimens were brought me by the fur tran'TH from above Fort Yukon and from
Nulato, Anvik, and Kotlik, along the courne of the Yukon, and alno from the Kaviak
Peninsula and about Kotzebue Sound. A few were taken near St. Michiu'l, but
they were not numerous there. Tliey are more j)lentiful about Bering Straits tiian
any otlier district visited by me, if the number of their skins among the native
children i-an be taken as a guide. »

Zapns hadsonius alascensis Merriam. Alaska Jumping Mouse.

Three typical specimens of this jumping mouse were taken in a
sedgy swamp near the foot of Lake Lobarge. Similar swamps exist
near the Yukon, at least as far as Fort Yukon, but I was unable to do
any trapping in them. No specimens were taken elsewhere.

Erethizon epizanthus myops Meri'iam. Alaska Porcupine.

Erethizon ejiixuHtliux mijopK Merriam, Proc. Wasli. Acad. S(U., II, 27-28, March 14, 1900.
Porcupines are (juite common in all the forest region of Alaska.
I noticed signs of them at nianj' places along the Yukon. They were
abundant about Glacier, in the White Pass region, and I shot one thei'e
one evening as it swayed ))ack and forth in the tap of a shMider alder.
It was eating the leaf buds which were just ))ursting.

Ochotona coUaris (Kelson). Ahuska Pika.

Two specimens of an nshy gray (h'hotana were taken, one at the
summit of White Pa.js, anotLor at the head of Lake Bennett. The
species was apparently qui+e n.re at these localities and it was only
with considerable difficulty that these individuals were secured. Both
are very pile, ashy gray, with pure white underparts, no traces of

' \

. .

(XT.. lOOO.l

Mammals of thk Yukon rkoion.

fulvous, iiiul very iudistincit <'ollars. They are in the early sprhifj or
left-over winter pelajje, and agree (juite well with spceiinens in the
same jjelage collected in the Chigniit Mountains, near Bristol Hay, hy
C L. MeKay. The type and topotypes of O. collaris are in the
summer or post-breeding pelage and present quite a different
appearance.

The species apparently occrurs in the high mountains throughout
Alaska. It was reported to me from the MacMillan Mountains, the
Upper Stewart River, the Upper White, and the Upper Tanana.
Fragments of a skull were found in an owl pellet picked up by Dr.
Rishop near Windy Arm, Lake Tagish. The present record from
While Pass is the most southern one. Thcie is suitable country for
it farther south, and it will be interestini^ to trace its range in this
direction.

Lepus saliens sp. nov.

T'liif from ('iirilK)ti CrosHing, between Lake Bennett and Lake Tagish, Nortliwest
Tcrrittiry, Canada. No. i)8956, U. S. Nat. Mus., Biological Survey Collection, $
a<l. Collected June 26, 1890, by W. H. Osfeood. Original No., 504.

CUara<iterH. — Similar to Lepus halnli, but more yellowish and less
ruddy; dorsal hairs with plumbeous roots; feet nearly white in sum-
mer; similar to Z. co/umbioimx,* but with greater amount of black in
dorsal region; feet much lighter; skull similar in general to that of
Lepus a. dalli; audital l)ullft5 very large.

Col<n\ — Type in worn uprint/ pelage: Upperparts mixed black and
yellowish l)uff, with patches of plumbeous under-fur exposed in places;
black hairs predominating on rump and middle of back, forming an
•Il-detined dorsal stripe; outer edge of thighs, outer side of forelegs
and pectoral band buff; ears and head, except sides of nose, buff with
black hairs sprinkled through; sides of nose gray; ears margined with
white; hairs of fore and hind feet plumbeous at base, rufous in cen-
tral part, and ))roadly white at tips; general appearance of feet white,
lightly mixed with rufous; underparts, except pectoral band, white.

Shidl. — Similar to that of dalli but somewhat larger; teeth heavier;
nasals long, heavy, and very broad anteriorly; audital bulla? very
large; palate short; malars rather wide, deeply channeled anteriorly;
postorbital and antorbital processes of frontals well developed.

MeasKf'ements. —Typa (measured from dry skiii): Total length 395;
hind foot 184; ear from crown 74. Skull of type: Occipitonasal
length 77; greatest zygomatic breadth 38; length of nasals 33; great-
est width of nasals 17; alveolar length of molar series 15.

Remarks. — The exact relation in which this species stands to ameri-
camut, bairdi, and columbiensis is difficult to determine at present. Its
light feet point to relationship with bairdi, while its dark under color

' Rhoads, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1895, 242-243.

■m

K^l

JNCRTH AMERICAN FAUNA.

[NO. 19.

and jj»'iiei"ai buflfy appi^irance are more like columhiensu. Its skull
is ({uite distin(itive, the large audital bulhe and broad nasals being
unequaled in the group. It seems probable that it its a northern
form of hairdi not related to colmnhicnsis^ which is nearer to lonHhing-
tmii. There are no specimens available to show whether or not it has
any connection with dalll, which is the form found on the Lower
Yukon. But two specimens were secured — the type, which I shot in a
Lej>argyraia thicket at Caribou Crossing, and one very young female
which Dr. Bishop took in a willow bog near Bennett City. It seems
to have been a decidedly 'off year' for rabbits, for thec-^ two were the
only ones we saw on our entire trip, though numerous signs of their
former abundance were seen dsily.

Lepus americanus dalli Merriam. Pali Varying Hare.
Lepm americanus dalli Merriam, Proc. Wash. Acad. S(U., II, 29-30, March 14, 1900.
This rabbit is doubtless abundant at oertiiin times all along the
Lower Yukon, but wo heard very little of it. It is subject to epidem-
ics and frequently becomes locally extinct, which probably accoimt**
for its scarcity last year.

Lepus othus Merriam. Alaska .A.rctic Hare.

Lepm othus Merriam, Pro*;. Wash. Acad. Sci., II, 28, Marcli 14, 1900.

Signs of Arctic hares were occasionally noticed about St. Michael,
but we did not see any of the animals. The Eskimos were hunting
continually, and brought numbers of ducks and geese to the village to
sell, but they brought no rabbits during our stay.

Lynx canadensis molIipilo..n8 Stone. Arctic Lynx.

Lyiu- mvadimnitt moUipilomn Stone, Proc. Acatl. Nat. Sci, Phila., March 24, 1900, 48-49.

The Caniula lynx is not as conmion in the interior of Alaska as might
be expected. I sa'v no sigiH of it and could o1)tain only veiy .scanty
information as to its oc( urrenco. The police sergeant in charge of the
station at the ft)ot of Lake LeJjarge told me that the tracks of l)ut
one had been seen in that vicinity during the previous wint<'r. Lynx-
skin robes are in common use in the country, l)ut the majority of them
are imjwrted. This I learned from a trader at CircU', who had isev(?ral
for sale that came from ea.stern and southern Canada.

Lynx skulls from the following localities are in the National
Museum: Taniuia River, Russian Mission, Nulato, Andraefski, and
mountains ikmit Unalakleet.

Oanis occidentalis Richardson. Wolf.

The country along the Yukon is not well suited for wolves, and they
are seldom seen there. A prospectoi' showed me the skin of ii large
gray one from the upper waters of the Mac.Millan rivei" — the only
one 1 saw on the trip.

<■ «

OCT., 1900.]

MAMMALS OF THE YUKON REGION.

Vulpes fnlvus (Desmarest) ? Red Fox.

Occasional reports of foxes were received all along our route, but no
specimens were secured. Owing to their natural sagacity, foxes are
doubtless able to hold their own against trappcn-s bett.>r than most other
fur-bearing animals. Their skins are quite common among traders
and natives.

Vulpes halle isis Merriam. Hall Island Fox.
VtUpe^ hallmsis Merriam, Pro*;. Wash. Aead. Sci., II, 1.5-16, March 14, 1900.

White fox skins are common among the natives and traders at St.
Michael, and could be bought at from '^l to ^-t each, according to
quality. During ^^vr stay there one of the animals was seen on the
island, which indicates that they are still far from extermination.

TTrsus americanus Pallas. Kiack xiear.

Black and l)rown bears ure common all along the Yukon. We found
them connnon on the upi'cr river, and Nelson records them as far down
as Anvik. We saw tra< ks very frequently, but owing- to the thick
forest and underbrush, and the fact that we made no special hunts for
them, the animals themse' 'es were rarely observed. A j'oung adult
female in glossy black pelage was killed at Glacier by A. (t. Maddr(Mi,
and several othei's were seen during oui" stsiy th(?re. I was told at
Lake Lebarge and at AVhite Horse liapids that brown bears were seen
very frequently. At Fort Selkirk I saw skins brought fi'om the Pelly
Rivci-. Near Charlie Village 1 saw the skin of a large })n)wii bear
that had been killed there shortly befon* our arrival. One afternoon
while sitting in the boat preparing specimens, al)out 20 miles al)ove
Circle, I saw a good-sized l)lack bear walling deliberately across an
open space on a hillside a slnn't <listanc<' away. We gave chase, but
did not see it again. At the mouth of the Tatondu River 1 saw
numerous tracks, and on the border of a stagnant pool fcund evidences
that bruin had l)eeii enjoying annul bath. Moss upi'ooted l»y Ijears in
digging for roots was noticed at several places.

TTrsus horribilis alascensis Merriam. Alaska (xrizzly Bear.

Very little accurate infonnation is o)>t:iinahle in regard to >he grizzlj-
in the Yukon region. It doiih) less occurs sparingly all along the i-iver,
but niin(>rs and piospectors rej)ort ai)y large bear as a grizzly, and
without do>i!)t often mistake the brt>wn bear for it. There are a num-
ber of its skulls f I'om Norton Sound in the Biological Survey collectitni.

Lutra canadensis (Schre})er). American Otter.

The fate of the otter in Alaska is nuich the same as that of the bea-
ver. There are doubtless a few on some of the smaller streams of th(>
inti-rior and about the Yukon ^ll'lta, l»iit they are now quite rare in
comparison with their former altiuidance.

''III

i-: il

NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA.

[NO. 19.

IS3

11 \

Lutreola vison ingens .siibsp. nov. Alaska Mink.

Type (skull) from Fort Yukon, Alaska. No. 6530, V. 8. Nat. Muh., S a<l., old.
Collected by Roln-rt Kennicott. (See Plate VI, flg. 2. )

C'hanwters. — Size largest of North Anierit^an mink; similar to L. v.
energufnenos, but lighter in color and very nmch larger; skull and t(H^th
very large and heavy.

Color. — Similar in general to Lutreola v. (mergumerios, but palei-.

Skidl. — Very large, angular, and ridged; rostrum very wide; luiiin-
case relatively shallow and very wide; zygomata heavy; audital Inillw
large and relatively wide; dentition heavy. (Compare with skull of
Lutreola V. energwnenott, Plate VI, tig. 1.*)

Mexjmirements. — No. 13880, U. S. National Museum, St. Michael,
Alaska (from dry skin): Total length 720; tail vertebraj 180; hind
foot 75. Skull of type: Occipitonasal length (>!♦; zygomatic breadth 47;
mastoid breadth -11: lireadth across postor})itjd processes 23; length
of audital l)ulla 17. Average of five adults: Occipitonasal length
44.5; ma.stoid breadth 31). 5; breadth across postorbital processes 21;
length of audital bulla 17.5.

Rem^rl'«. — The large size of the Ala.ska mink has been noted hj
various authors,* but eat^h has dismissed the subject by concluding
that it is the natural result of the animal's northern range, and the
form has remained unnamed, while lass marked forms from other local-
ities have been recognized. The largest mink previously described
is L. V. energiuiirDOH, which is very nmch smaller than inyeuM and also
averages much darker.

The minks of the Yukon region are caught mostly on the tributary
streamf and, as stated by Nelson, are very abundant in the area
))etween the deltas of the Yukon and the Kuskokwim. Along the
Yukon itself our party did not see any, and very few signs of them
were observed. Their skins wer«> seldom seen among the Indians and
Eskimos. They w(M'(> reported, however, fi'om the Porcupine, Koyn-
kuk, Tanana, and various other strwuns tril)utary to the Yukon, and
without douf)t occur in suitable places all over Alaska

FutoriuB arotiouB Merriam. Tundm Weasel.

Jhitorius arcticm Merriam, N. Am. Fauna No. 11, 15, June, 1898.
PuloriiiK nroijmini richarthoiil 'Slvrrimn, I. c, 11-12 (part).

Three immature specimens of this weasel were t4iken at St. Michael.
They were caught in traps Iniited with sandpipers and set among the
lava rocks along the shore. Several specimens which were also secured
at St. Mic'hael by Nelson and Turner are in the National Museum.
Besides these 1 find specinu^is from Nulato, Foil Yukon, and Fort
Reliance, which gives the species a more extensive range in the interioi"
than it has been supposed to have. Most of th«>se specimens aic

' No. 55.S7, Hanjp' collection, from SuinaH, B. C

» See Allen, Bull. V. S. Gool md (ieoj;. Survey Terr.. II, \V27-H'2», lH7tt.

TTJT

[NO. 19.

ad., old.

North Ametican Fauna, No 19.

Plate VI.

Skulls of Lutreola and Fiber. iNmumi sizr.

I I

1. t.iili'ii/ii vliiiiii nitriiiiiiiiiiii
'2, l.iili'iihi fimiii iiiiinii'.

'A, Filtrr tihilhit'iiA.
i. Fihf r niiiittiliitu!<.

- 4- I

,«

\\ I

"W?

OCT., 1900. J

MAMMALS OF THE YUKON REGION.

' 1

(«*

iniperf t'ct, but enough skulls are now at hand to show conchisively that
all the Yukon speeiinens heretofore identitied as rlchardmid are really
practically identical with P. arctlam from Point Barrow.

Putorius cicognani alascensis (Merriaui). Juneau Weasel.

A single iniinature specimen taken 20 miles l)elow Fort Selkirk is
njferrcd to this form. Its skull is rather large and indicates a i)ossi))le
intergradation with /*. urctleu^; otherwise it agrees with (ihixceHxlx.

Putorius rixosus eskimo Stone. Alaska Least Weasel.

Ihilorim I'i.roxuts cxkbiio Stone, Proc. Aoutl. Nat. Soi. Pliila., March 24, lOCM), 44— 4.">.

No sp(!cimens of this rare- weasel were obtained. There are three
imperfect specimens in the National Museum, two from St. Michael
and one from Fort Reliance. Besides these the only ones recorded
are the type and four topotypes from Point Barrow, Alaska, and the
specimen mentioned by Stone (loc. cit.) from Bethel, Kuskokwim
River, Alaska.

Mustela americana actuosa subsp. nov. Alaska Marten.

Tiip<' (skull) from Fort Yukon, Ala-ska. No. «04S, U. S. Nat. Mas., $ ad, old.
Colk'ctwl l)y Rolwrt Kennicott. (See Plate VH, lig. 2. )

( 'lidr'icto'H. —Similar to J/, hrainalix, but larger; cmnial and dental
characters distinctive.

CW^f>/'.— (Topotype, No. 6416, U.S.N.M., ^ ad.): Posterior half of
upperparts pule ochraceous butt', shoulders and anterioi' part( f upper-
paj'ts gradimlly becoming grayi.'-h; entire uppcn-parts, except head,
overlaid with coar,se l)rown hairs; her. 1, including cheeks and throat,
pah^ grayish-white lightly mixed with .)rown, especially on no.sc and
chin; inside and edges of (>ars whitisli, outside and bases of ears
l)r()wn; underparts simihir to upperparts, but darker and more brown-
ish on chest; an irregular patch of creamy butf mixed with white on
chest; l(>gs and feet dark brown, front of legs with mixture of gray
hairs; tail brown, somewhat darker at tip, and with a slight mixture
of gray hairs.

Skull. — Similar to that of 2!, hrximallx (I'late VII, fig. 1*), but some-
what larger; relatively longer and narrower; interorbital space slightly
narrower; aiidital l)idl»' very imich larger and longer; dentition rela-
tively nuich weaker; la.'- i[)per molar decidedly smaller.

Miafnweinenh.—K crage of four adult male topotyi)es measured in
the flesh by the collector: Total length 26.22 inches (665 mm.); tail
verte])ra' S.OH inches (22;{ nun.); hind foot J- '^'' inches (10!> mm.).
Skull of ty))e: Occipitonasal length Hh\ greatest zygomatic breadth
55; breadth across postorbitul processes 24; palatul length 44; length
of audihil bulhe 1)>.

'Type No. 7417. Han^rH collection, from Okuk, Lahnulor.

North American fauna.

[no, 19.

i| ': >

)> J

(? i •

Remarhi. — Thi.. form is the largest of the subspecies of Mmtela
amei'lcana. M. hrmnali« is also large, but does not equal actuosa^ and
notwithstanding its smaller size has heavier dentition. The enor-
mous audital bullae of actuom are not equaled b}' those of any other
member of the group. The skulls of americana (Plate VII, fig. 3*)
and caurina are so very nuu-h smaller than those of hnimdiH and (wtu-
ma that they do not need to be closely compared. In a good series of
actvom from Fort Yukon and Fort McPherson the character.- are very
constant. A large number of skins from these localities present very
little variation, and nearly all are (|uite light coloi'ed like the one
described above. The marten is still the commonest fur-bearing
animal of Alaska, notwithstanding the hundreds of thousands that
have alr<>ady been taken. Trappers are always confident of a hai'vest
of martens whether other animals are abundant or not.

Mustela pennanti Erxleben. Fisher.

Dr. KUiott Cones ^ states that he has examined specimens of the
fisher from Alaska, but does not give the exact locality. At present
no specimens are at hand to corroborate this record, but there is little
doubt that the animal occurs along the Upper Yukon, as it is known
from similar latitudes to the eastward. It was not met with by our
pa)"ty, and I received no reliable information in regard to it.

Oulo luBCUs (Linnieus). Wolverine.

Wolverines seem to be quite common in the Yukon region. They
were often reported, and I saw )i number of skins among thcs natives
on the lower river. One was .said to have been trapped at Tagish in
the winter of 18)KS. and others were seen in the vicinity. They are
seen frequently about Lake Lebarge in winter, and trappers from the
MacMillan River say they are abiuidant in that region.

Sorex personatus streatori Merriam. Streator Shrew.

Specimens of this shrew were secured as follows: Haines 1, Skag-
way «'), Glacier I, Bennett 3, Caribou Crossing 2, Lake Lel)arge 1, 50
miles l)elow Fort Selkirk 1, mouth of Chandindu River I, and 40 miles
above Circle 1. Although the conditions along the Yukon seem to be
.ideal for shrews, I was unable to secui'e many specinu>ns. and could
only conclude that they wei-e not common there, for the same nu'thodi)
of trapi)ing were nmch more successful in the coast n'gions.

Sores personatus aroticus Merriam. Arctic; Shrew.

Sttrex yn-mwilux iirrliriin Alfrrittiii, I'roc. VVai<li. Aca<l. Sci., 11, 17, Mar. 14, liKK).

Twenty specimens were taken at St. Michael. They occur through-
out the tuiulia in nnich the same situations as S. fiindrfUK/'x, but were
also found in the lava heaps and along high banks near the coast.

'No. 41)34, Mcrriani collccticni, fr.iin tht- AdiroiidwkH, New York.
Fiir-lK'uriiig AiiiiiiulH, til), 1877.

North An.encan Fauna, No. 19.

Plate VII.

Skulls OF Mustela. (Xiitumisizo.)

1. Miitlelti nmriimiiii III uiKdIiK. 2. Muiililanmnicitiiaactui>i"i.

:i. Min'lilii (iiiir-icana.

K^ (

■n:i

OCT.,1000.]

MAMMALS OF THE YUKON KKOION.

Sorex obscuras Merriam. Mountniti Shro.w.

Two speciiiiens were caught under tufbi of gi'uss on ii rocky liillside
at Bennett. This locality i.s nuich farthc^r north than any from which
this .species has been previously recorded.

Sorex tondrensis Merriam. Tundra Shrew.

Sonx tundrengiit Merriam. I'roc. Wiwh. Acad. Sci., II, 1(1-17, Man'h 14, liKH).

Eighteen .specimens of this pretty shrew were taken at St. Michael.
They were found in various parts of the tundra, but seemed to l)e in
small localized colonies. About cei'tain small ponds nearly all the
shrews caught were of this sp<3cies, while but a shoit distance away all
were arctiom. A single imperfect specimen collected by Kennicott
near Fort Yukon is in the National Museum. In size it does notdiffiu-
from typical tii/idrcnu/'n, but in color it is somewhat darker, thus
indicating a possible intergmdation with rlrhdnl'iani.

Hyotis lucifugus (Le Conte). Little Hrown Hat.

Bats were first seen at Caribou Crossing, and from that point were
oc<;asionally noticed at various places to our camp, 50 miles l)elow
Fort Selkirk, where they were last seen. Turner mentions their
reported occurrence as far down as Fort Yukon and Nulato. In June
and July wo generally found them flying from 10 to 11.80 p. m. . and
sometimes even later. Two specimens only were secured. These are
somewhat grayer and less glossy than specimens from the eastern
United States.

I r i

n»^

■f-:

BIRDS OF THE YUKON EEOION, WITH NOTES ON OTHER

SPECIES.

By Louis B. Bishop, M. D.
INTRODUCTION.

In propiiring tho ornithological part of this report I have thought
it advisable to note as far as possil)le all species met with from the
time we passed Dixon F^ntranco, northward bound, May 28, until we
reached Cape Scott on the return trip, October 12, for the reason tliat
articles on Alaska birds are not yet so numerous as tomake such notes
worthless. It was of course impossible to obtain specimens of water-
fowl seen from the decks of steamers; therefore when specific identifi-
cation was not positive I have referred genera seen to tho .species
which previous observers — especially E. W. Nelson and William
Palmer — have found most couunon in the waters visited.

Nowhere did we see the vast colonies of water birds which others
have met with in Alaskan waters, probably because most of these
birds had loft their summor homos in Bering Sea when we passed in
October; but various migrants were comnion in the Inside Pasjsago in
May, geese and ducks on the Lower Yukon in August, and waterf j>v1
of many species in Akutan Pass in October.

The region from Skagway, at the head of Lynn Ca»ial. to Circle, on
the Yukon, was the scene of most of our work; and as very little was
known of it ornithologically I have mentioned in my annotiited list
ever}' occasion of our observation of all except the (;cinmonest .specie^..
Ornithologist*;, in refening to the Copper Yukon, include, as a rule,
only that part of tho river which lies between Dawso'.i and Nulato;
hen(!0 tho avifauna of its head waters was with us largely a matter of
conjoctun*. George G. Cantwell ' mentions species he .saw about the
lakes; but his experience was hi man\' ways so different from ours that,
while crediting him with the first records for species which wo also
found, I have omitted others which we did not find and for which he
may have mistaken closelj' allied birds.

The country we traversed between Skagway and Circle divides itself
into three quite distinct faunal districts. Tho coast of Southeast
Alaska belongs to the "Sitkan district' of Nelson, White Pass Summit

• il

!! ({

t ' I

'Birds of the Yukon Trail <Osprey, 111, 25, Oct., 1898.

) i

' M

i M

f. i.

NORTH AMKKICAN FAl'NA.

[NO. 19.

and the hcijjht.'^ iilxnc (Hiicicr hcloiij^ to tlio An'tic-Alpino zone, and
th»' Yukon Valley l»('l<)ii{(.s to the Canadian and Huddonian zones. In
tho lust th»^ Canadian ciciiUMit is most pronounced in the lake rejjion,
with a very slij^ht infusion of Sitkan forms, the strictly Hudson ian
species .(crcasinj( and the others d»M'i"easinfr as the Yukon winds north
toward Foit Yukon. Beyond this point Iludsonian forms predomi-
nate, ffivinj; place to Arctic where the Yukon lo.ses its identity in the
tundra of the delta, 'fhe Upper Yukon Valley may l)e divided faun-
ally at Fort Selkirk, where the Pelly from the Rocky Mountains and
the Lewes fron> the Coast Range unite to form the Yukon proper, 15
species of land and shore birds occurring above this point which have
not been found l)etwcen there and F(rt't Yukon, and 12 having been
recorded between the Pelly and Fort Yukon which have not been
taki'n above. Of the 128 specie.>5and sul)species found between Dixon
Entrance and Fort Yukon, 22 per cent were common to the coast of
southeast Alaska and the Yukon Valley, lit per cent confined to the
cotust, '),') j)er cent to the Yukon Valley, and -i per cent found only on
White Pass Summit and at similar altitudes.

The avifauna of southeastern Alaska is already fairly well known,
and the twelve days spent at Haines, Skagway, and Glacier resulted
chiefly \r extending the ranges of a few species, though the barn
swallow proved to b«> tlie subspecies recently reinstiited by Mr. Palmer,
the myrtle warbler that lately described by Mr. McGregor, and the
wood pewee an unrecognized form. Of the 52 species found between
Dixon Entrance and Glacier, 2 — Cofajttcs auratns luteiui and Jferula
vil(ji'(itorl(t — were eastern, 8 Alaskan, 25 Pacific coast, and 17 common
to northern North Amei'ica. At Haines, which is situated on a nar-
row aid for the most part heavily wooded peninsula, birds, although
not common, were more numerous than they were either at Skag-
way, which is in a narrow clifi'-bordered valley at the head of Lynn
Canal, or at (t lacier, 14 miles from Skagway, 1,870 feet higher, and
surrouiide<l ))y decj) spruce woods and alder thickets. We found in
the avifauna of (iilacicr a slight but decided difference from that of
the tide-wat(U' level of Lynn Canal, Junco liyemalifi connecteihH replac-
ing J. h. invfjonwi, and Wihonla pufiUla 2)il<'olatci replacing Jlehmntlw-
2>hU(i cehtta lHte^'<cenx, while Mdo»plza melodia rufina and Menda
iii'xjrdtorld were absent.

Among the thickets of alpine hemlock growing with moss and
heather between the granite rocks of White Pass Summit and the
heights above Glacier we found Zonotrlchia coronata and Anthus
pennilvanicms coumion, and Tjujupuii rupestrls, L. leucurus, Letwosticte
ti'phrocotis Kttoralis and Snyomw tiaya ynkaneims in smaller numbers'.
SayorniH s. yukancusLs reat'hed the Y'ukon level at Fort Selkirk, and
Anthi/H jjenmlvanicit.'t at Circle, but the others were not seen again.

To one accustomed to the orchards, fields, and forests of Connecti-

-y

(NO. 19.

0(T.,1<J(KI.1

INTKODIK'TION.

i-i:

cut, the (lii«'k nmrslics of Nortli Diikotu. or even th»' ImiIsiuii thickets
of nortlicni N(^\v Kri^laiid, the Yukon Viilh\v .scciii.s wiintiu^' in '>ir(l
life — iKtt the center of !il)uudiince of its avifiiunii, but rather a (le|)o.sit
for the overflow from more favored re^fion.s. Tlu're are exceptions to
this rule, notably wandei'iiijj flocks of crossbills, the colonics of bank
swallows of Fifty-Mil(^ and Thirty-Mile rivers and the Yukon propiT,
the spotted sandpipers that contirnialiy Hitted across our Ijow, the
intermediate sparrows and juncos that seldom failed to <,'reet us as wo
stepped ashore, and the Alma thrushes, whose sonjfs sounded all night,
wherever we happened to camp. Bird life is fairly abundant, too, in
certjiin favored places such as Loj; Cabin, Caribou Crossinjif. the
swampy shores of Lake Marsh, and the ponds and level country at
the lower end of Lake Lebarge. Near Miles Canyon I noticed 23
species on July 11, Imt individuals of each, with the exception of l)aiik
swallows, were few. In the entire Upper Yukon Valley l)reeding
colonies of shore and water birds were conspicuously ab.sent. The
precipitous shores of the lakes, the conipanitive absences of islands, the
swift current of the Yukon, and its liigh banks cut l)v narrow, wooded
valley's, are a sufficient explaiitition of this; and I can not believe that
either geese, ducks, or shore l»irds ever bred abundantly in most of
the region visited, though their luunber has doubtle.ss been reduced in
recent years.

In the Yukon flats the condition changes, and no doiil)t many of
these birds tind a summer home in the ponds a few miles back from
the river, as they do at the foot of Lake Lebarge; but these we had
no opportunity of visiting. Our stud}' of the bird life of the Yukon
was chiefly confined to what could be seen or heard from our lioat or
on the banks in the immediate vicinity of camping places. From the
lakes to the Alaska boundary snow-capped peaks were absent, and
no species were found that did not also occur upon th(> l»anks of the
river, although we c limbed hills, visited deep woods, and asceuded
small streams for sonu; distance. As we proceeded north, howe\ er,
several birds were found at lower altitudes than those at whicli they
had been alri'ady noted. Away from the river, birds were rarer than
immediately upon its banks.

We learned little regarding the Upper Yukon as a migratory high-
way for species breeding farther noi'tli, though wc heard that thou-
sands of geese and ducks pas.sed Lower Lebarge in the spring. It was
too late for the spring migration, and the southward movement of
ducks and geese had hardly begun on August 20, when we left Circle.
The fall migration of the Limicohv should have been well under way
at this date, but very few of these birds were observed. If they
do pass in large numbers they nuist fretiuent the ponds back from
the river, iseveral times at Circle, I walked a long distance over
the sand flats left bare bj' the falling Y'ukon without seeing any
4494— No. H) 4

fi'M

! >l

HMMMi

NORTH \MKK10AN FAUNA.

[NO. 19.

i' i' '

I' <

shore l)ir(ls, or anything on which they could fcod. Th's was very
ditl'erent from tLc constantly pa.s.sing flocks I .saw on the Yiikoji Dcltii
August 27-28, and the abundance of Liniicola? at St. Michael in Sep-
tember. The smaller land birds we often saw late in July and in
August. They wei"e usually in family parties, and most of them
seemed to be travelinj;' up the river. At Circle the intonuediate
sparrow, western trco sparrow, and western savanna sparrow were
abundant, and were evidently migrating August 19-20.

Forty-two species of migi'atory l)irds, exclusive of those possessing
a coutinentiil range, cortiiinly occur as summer residents in the Yukon
Basin above Fort Yukon. Of these, 13 (31 percent) have their center
of distribution in eastern North America, i-i (33 per cent) near the
Pacific coast, and 15 (36 per cent) in west'; t North America not far
from the Rocicy Mountains. The eastern birds reach the Yukon
through the Koclf Mountains. Some of these, such as CJiord('ll<;.H
virgi'niaium^ were lOund only al)ove the Tatchun Uiver; others, as
Emjthl^max t. alnoruin, were absent above the l\'Iiy and common
from there to Fort Yukon; others, as Wi/w?!^/. pit-'<!//(r, were not
found above the Chaiuiindu River; others, as ni'lminihopliihi jwre-
grr7i(/, woni eacli foiuul at a single place, while still others, as ^/'/^/i^o
hycmolis and Mernla mu^ratorhi^ were rc^gubirly distributcnl along the
river. The Pacific coast forms pro])iibly all reach (he Yukon over
the Alaska coast range. These disjippear as one goes north, Ihjlo-
cichlu iinnalanchkiv extending through Lake l?enn<>tt, W/'/sD/t./'a 2>- pU'^o-
lata t^) Lake Marsh, Ih^nlroica tounusendl to Lake L(;bargc, Mijadestcs
tmnnMend) to Dawson, !».nd Tachycliu la t}i<:'(h'"'v,i(i to Circle. Last
and most important ii numl)er of species, abundance oi" individuals,
and regularitv of distribution are birds which breed In the Yukon
Valley and spend the winter in the w. st«M'n United St{lt<^s. as Z»nu>-
trichiii J. i/niiJ>':ll, Splri'ild. s. urizoHfv. and the small Ahiiii(i<fram''xs k.
al<m(i//)i>is of the Y'^ukon lakes, and those wiiich probably enter by
the mouth of the Yukor», as the large AinvKxlrditittK v. ahmdiinw^
found below Alaska boundary, si-'d SeinruH n. notahilU; tirst met near
P ,vson.

In coloring, Yukon birds, especially in juvenile plumage, show a
strong tendency to rephuse the bulf-ochraceous markings of Eastern
forms by white, cream color, and gray. (Jdri'ichUeH c. otKjMxl/', J'iirif-s h.
t-^"//vf, and ITyloeU-hUi it. (ilnnmw^ ^T* '^1 exampltvs of this characteristic.

I take this opportunity to exi)res« my hejirly tluinks to [>i'. Merrium
for the privilege of visiting Alaska as a member of the Uiological Sur-
vey party, of writing this re])ort, and of using the collection of tho
niological Survey in its preparation; al.-o to Mr. Osgood and Mr.
Oherholser of the Riological Survey foi' aid in determining species.
I iiui also greatly indebted to Mr. Robert Ridgway and Dr. Charles
W. Richmond for the oj)portunity of studying the collection of the

S-0.19.

OCT., 1900.]

CLASSIKIKI) LISTS OF SPECIES.

vovy
Doltii

Sop-
nd in

theiu
odiate

were

ossing
Yukon
oonter
ill' the
not far
Yukon

lers. as
•oinnion
ere not

1((. jirre-

IS JldlCO

\ow^ the
:on over
|h, Ihjlo-
2>. pil'O-

lo. Last
lividuals.
10 Yukon

as ?j>n<>-
Iraimui «.

titer by
i/(t(t(/ljnui,
t mot near

■0, show a
>i' EastovM
'i, Farm h.
ractiM'istic.
r. Merriam
ogical Siir-
•tion of tho
id and Mr.
ti^ upecios.
Dr. (Miarlcs
tion of the

United States N;i<'io''al Mutseum and for much vahiable assistanee; to
Dr. J. A . Allen and Mr. F. M. Chapman for the hours which I spent
with the birds in tho American Museum of Natural History; to Mr.
William Brewster foi- tli(^ courtesy of allowing' n)e to compare my
specimens with those in his valuable collection, and to Mr. Walter
Deane for much help in this study.

CLASSIFIED LISTS OF SPECIES.

NKW .SUBSPECIE.-.

Canadiites mnmleiiHis owgoodi. Contopiw richarilsoni saturatus.

Sayoniis Huya yuk('in;iisin. .

^S^'I•X•IE-S NOT niTHEUTO UECORDEO FROM WESTERN NORTH AMERICA.

Haliajotus olbicilla.

f-i'ECIK.S NOT IIITIIEUTO KECORDEI) FROM SOUTHE ASTERN ALASKA.

^I'k'hnii^ihoriw (uviilcnlalis.

Xemasabinii.

Lagopus letvuniH.

PicoideH aiiu'rifainif alaseensis.

Contopus richarilHoni Katnratus.

Enipidoiiax Iiaininondi.
JuiK-o liyomaliH ooiiiK'utens.
Sitta oanadeiisiK.
Merula niignitciria.

MPECIEH NOT IIITIIERIY) RlCCOKUEl) KHO.M UNALASKA.

r.jiniH pliiladcljiliia.
Tringa nu'culata.

Triiiaa acuminata.
Loxia curviroHtra i-.inor.

SPECIES NOT lIlTlIKimj KECORUEI) FROM THE I'RnilLOF ISLANDS.

I>aru8 pliiladolphia.
Triiiua innmdiuita.

? Arenaria molanocephala.

SPECIES Nor IIITIIFKTO HECORUHI) FROM ST. VICIIAEL.

('alii I. IS aiviiaria.

SPECIES NOT lIlTIIEIiTO KKCORDEl) FUO.M THE YCKON MIOVK FORT YUKON.

Trinira liairdi.

Symplu'iiiia si'inipalmata inornata.

Bntco borcalis calurns.

Kaico s))arvt'rins.

? Mi'j,'ascops asio kciinicolli.

V !)ry(iliat('s villosiis liylos;c'o[His.

Contopns liorcaiis.

C<)nto]itis ricliardsoni saturatua

iMiipidimax traiili alnoviim.

I'lni|iid(iiui\ lianiiiiiiiidi.

Spimis piiius.
Si)i7,i'lia socialis arlzoiup.
ra.«si'rt'lla iliaca.
Ilcliniiitliophiia pcrcgriiia.
I)i'iidroi('a towiisciidi.
Wilsoiiia pusilla pilcolata.
Sitta caiindeiisis.
Hylociclda aoiialusdika'.
llylociclila aoiiala.><i'lika' pallasi.
Saxicola (I'luuitlu'.

l.ISr OF SPECIES KNOWN FROM THE YCKON IIASIN,

ColyiiiliHH )i()lb(plli.
folvMiliiis anrittiH.
(iavia iinlicr.
(iavia arc'tica.

Gavia lunHtit'.
Stcrconirins )ioiiiariiHis.'
Stcrcorarins p"-.'"iti('us.'
Stcrcorai'itis loiigicauduH.'

ll^ll

^ I

' Known only from I'dii Yukon or below.

NORTH AMKUICAN FAUNA.

[NO. 19.

V ^

•4'^

RissH tridactyla jHiUir^iri.'j.'

Larus barrovianuH.'

Larua argentatuw sinithHonianus.

Larus vegic'

Larus bracliyrliyiK-hua.

Lams philiuk'lpliia.

Xenia sahinii.'

Sterna I'a^ipia.'

Sterna panuliwi'a.

Sterna aleutica.'

Hydrochelidon nigra surinamensis.'

Phalacroconix pelajficu.s njhustus.'

Merganser aaiericannH.

Merganser serrator.'

Anas hoselias.

Mareni aniericana.

Nettion carnlinensis.

Querquedula discors.'

Snatula dyjjeata.

Dafila acuta.

Aythya vallisneria.'

Aytliya niarila.

Aythya aflinis.

Clangnla clangula aniericana.

Clangula island tea.

Charitonetta albeola.

Harelda hyenialis.

HistrionicuH histrioniouH.

Arctonetta fiseheri.'

Soniateria v-iiigra.'

Soniateriu mH'ctahilis.'

Oidemia aniericana.'

Oideniia dcglaiidi.

Oideinia pers|)icillata.

Chen hyperlwirea. '

Anser albifrons ganilK'li.'

Uranta eaiiadenniiJ Imtchinsi.

Branta <'aiuiilenHiH nuniina.

lirantu nigricans.'

Pbila<;te canagi<'a. '

Olor colniiihianns.'

Olor buccinator."

GruH caniulensiM.

Fulica aniericana.'

CryniDphiJus fiiiicarius.'

I'lialarnj)UM loiiatuw.

Gallinago delicr.ta.

MacrorhaniphuH seolopaeuUH.'

Tringa canntut.'

Tringa cuiicHi.'

Tringa inaculata.

Tringa bairdi.

Tringa ininntilla.

Tringa atpina ])aci)ica.

Krennetus ocddentnliH.'

Cali'lris arenaria.'

Liniosa lapjxiniea baneri.'

Liniowi hicniiusfica.'

Tiitanus flavipe.^.

Helodroniiw solitariuH ciniiainonienH.

Heteractitis incanui-i.'

Bartranda longicauda. '

Synipbenda .^endpahnata inornata.'

Tryngites snbndic<illis '

Actitis niacularia.

NuineniuH hudsonidis.

Nunieraus borealis.'

Squatarola s(piatar<)ia.

Chanidrius doininicus.

Clianidrii's (londnieus fulv<is.'

^Kgialitis sendpahnata.

Anuiaria interpres.'

Arenaria nielanoeepiiala.'

Canachites canaden.wjs nsgcx* ",.

Bonasii ninliellus undxsl)''' .es.

LagopUM lagojius.

]..ag()puH rupestris.

Pedid'cetes pbasianellus colunibianuH.'

Circus hudsoniiis.

Accii)iter velox.

Accipiter atricapillu:',

Buteo boreahs calurus.''

Buteo svvains.ini.'

Arcbibnteii lagi>))nH.'

Haliicetns lencoccpbalus aias<-aiius.

Falco rustico'.UH gyrfaicd.

Falcu percgriniis anatnni.

Falco coiiii)d)arins.

Falco colund)arius ricliardiioid.'

Falco sparveriuH.'^

Fandion lialiaetns carolineuHis.'

.Xsio accipitrinns.'

Scotiaplcx cinerea.

Scotiaptex cinerea lapponica.'

Nyi'lala tengniaind ricbanlMini.

VMcgawops iu«io konnicotti.'

liulio virgiidanuH ])alleseens.

.Nyctca nyclca.'

Snrnia ulnla caparocli.

( 'I'ryle alcyon.

{•ryobates villosns leucoinelas.

?I)ryol)ate.s vUlosus liyloscopus.'

' Known oidy from Fort Yukon or below.
'Known onlv alMivc Fort Yukon,

[NO. 19.

OCT.,19U0.j

CLAS9IFIKD LISTS OF SPECIES.

DryobatcH piilwwiens iielwmi.

l'ic()i<U'H arctit'iiH.

Pic'oidt'H aiii(>ricaimH aluHceiiHiKi.

Colaptes auratuH liiteus.

Chordeiles virgiiiianiiH.'

Selasphonis riifus.''

Sayornis eaya ynkoneiiRiH.'

Coutopua Iwrealin.

Contopua ridiardsoiii witiiratns.'^

LiTipidonax fruilli.'

Empidonax trailli alnoniip.'^

Empidonax haimnoiidi.''

Otoeoris alpestria leucolfniiia.

Pica i)ica budsonica.

PeriHoreus canadciiHis fuiiiifrons.

Corvus corax principalis.

ScolecopbagUH carol i mis.

Pinicola eimclcator alascenHiH.

Pyrrbula ca8.«ini.'

lA)xia leucoptcra.

Arantbia borneinaniii oxilipes.

AcAiitbis linariu.

Spinus pinus.'

Pa^isorina nivaliw.

Calcarius lapponicnw ala»<>;cnHiH.

C'alcariuH pictiiH.'

Am mod ram U8 Handwicliensia alaudinn.s.

Zonotricbia loucopbrys gambeli.

Zonotricbia coronata.

Spizella mouticola ocbnicca.

Spizolla Hocialis arizona;.''

Jnnco byemalis.

Molospiza lincoliii.

PasHorella iliaca.

Petroclu'lidoii Innifrona.

Ilirmido erytbrogastra unaliwc^bki'iiHiH.

Tacbyciiii'ta Incoiiir.

Tacbycincta tbalassina.'

Clivicola riparia.

Ampi'lis garrulus.

Laiiiiis borcalis.

llelmintbopbila celata.

IK'lmintbopbila pciregrina.'

Deiidroica a'stiva ruljiginoHa.

Deiidroica coronata hooveri. ,

Dcndroica striata.

Dcndroica townsendi."

Seinrns aurocapilliis.'

SeiiiruH novetjoracenHis notainlis.

Wilnonia pusilla.

Wilsonia pusilla pileolata.'''

Biidytes flavus leucostriatiis.'

AntbuH pensilvanicus.

Cinclns mcxicanus,

Sitta canadensin.^

Panis atricapilbw sopteiitrionalis.

ParuH (tiiictiiH aliiscensis.'

Parus budsonicuH ev»ira.

PbyllopseuHtew Vwrealis.'

RcguliiH calendula.

^lyadcHtcH townsendi.''

Hylocicbla aliciic.

Ilylocicbla ustiilata almro.

Hylocicbla aonahwcbka'."

Ilylocicbla aonalaechka' pallasi.'

Meriila niigratoria.

Hcspcrocicbla iia;via.

Saxicola iiinantbe.

Sialia arctica."

SPECIES WIIOSH OCCrKHKNCK O.N TMIC YUKON IS douhtfdl.

Cbaulelasmns Btrepisrus.
Eniconctta stcllcri.
Rranta, canadcnHiw.
MacrorbampbuH griseim.

Aqnila cbrysaetcs.
Nncifraga colnmbiaiia.
Loxia cun'irostni minor.
Motacilla ocularis.

' Known only from Fort Yukon or bdow.
'■'Known iinly uhoyc Fort Yukon.

NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA.

[NO. lit.

BPBCIE8 AMD SUBSPECIES OCCrRRIXCl IN TIIK YUKON I1A8IN AND HAVING THEIR CENTER
OF AnUNDANCE DURING TIIK IIKKRDINli .SEASON IN ALASKA AND IIEKINd SEA.

i i !

'11

Rissa tridactyla pollicaris.'

LaruH barrovianus. '

Larua vega).'

Larus brachyrhynchus.

Sterna aleutica.'

Phalat^roconix pelajricns rulmstns.'

Arctonctta flscheri.'

Soinateria v-nigm.'

Chen liyperl)orea.'^

Bi-anta (canadensis minima.

Branta nigricans. ^

Philacte canagica. '

Gms canadensis.''

MatTorhaiiipns scoloiMVceus.

Tringa couesi."

Ereunetes occidentalis.

Heteractitis incanus.

Arenaria melanoeephala.

Of these 35 forms, 1 is a su1)spooies of iiii Asiatics bird, 5 are cliicfly
confined to Bering Sea, 2 range in winter to the western Pacific, 7
are resident sultspecies of northern North American l)irds. and the
remaining 20 pass in Avinter to the western United States or ])cvond.

EAHTEHN NORTH AMKKICAN BPKCIKS FOUND IN THE YUKON IIASIN.

Canaciiites canadensis osgoodi.
Ilaliii'ctns leucocophalus alascanas.
? Megii,«('(H)s iLsio kennii'otti.
Ticoidcs ainerieanns alasccnsis.
8ay(iriiis saya ynkonensis.
CoiitoiuiH ricliiu'dsoiii saturatns.
Perisorcus canadcnsi.s fuiiiifrons.
Pinicola onucleator alaf-rciisis.
Fioucosticte tejihroeoti.s littoralis.
Calcariu.s lapironicns alas{'oii.«iH.
Hirundo orythrof.-, itra unalayclikensis.
Deiulroica a'stiva rubigiiiosa.
Dendroica coronata lioovuri.
Panis cinctiis ala-^censis.
Panis budso'iifUH evura.
Hylocicbia nstnlata alma;.
I lesperociclila mevia.

Limosa lucmastioa.
Nunienius iMtrcalis.
Accipiter atricapilliis.
Falco sparverius.
Colaptos auratus Inteus.
Cliordoiles virginianiiH.
Einpidonax traiili ainorum.
Junco hyeinalis.
Paaserella iliaca.

Helmintbopliila cclatii.
Hehiiiiitliopbila j>er(.'i{rlna.
Dendroica striata.
Pcinrns unro('ii|iilliiH.
Wilsdiiia pnsilla.
Ilylixidila alicia'.
Hylocidila aoiialaschka' pallasi.
Morula iiiigratoria.

Wf^TEUN NORTH A.MEKUAN Sl'ECUIX I''OUNl) IN THE YUKCN IIASIN.

Anser albifrons gainl)eli.

Branta canadensis hutehiusi.

Olor buccinator

Symphcmia scmipalmata inornata.

l$onasa uinbcllus umbciloidcH.

Pedia'cetes pluwiancllua colunibiauus.

Bnteo borcalis calurus.

Buteo swainsoni.

Falco colnmbarius ricbardsoni.

Bubo virgiiiianuH pallcscens.

?L)ryobateH villosuH by]oHco|>iis.

Picoidcs amcricaiiMs alasconsis.

HelaspboruH riifus.

Kmpidonax traiili.

Kmi)i<lonax baniviioiidi.

Otocoris alpcstris Icucol.'ciiia.

Pica ]>ica bu<ls(ini(;a.

Calcarius pictuH.

.'VniiniMlnnnns saudwicbciisi" aland inns.

Zonotriclia k'ucoplirys gainhcli.

Spi/.clla inonticola ocliracea.

Spi/.ella soicialis arizona'.

HciiiruH n<(vcl>(ira('cu,''is iiotabilis.

Ciiiclns nicxiciiiuis.

Parus atriiapilluH ."('ptciitrionalis.

Myadcstt's towii.'^ciidi.

Sialia arctic.i.

' Uei)orted only from the Yuko!i Delta.
'' Known only as migraiit.«.

[NO.l'J.

'ENTEB

OCT., 1900.] (;LASail-"IKI) LISTS (>K Sl'KCIKS.

AMEKK'AN IWCIl'IC CO.^.ST .Sl'KCI KS |-UtNI> 1 \ TllK VfKO.N H.\SI.N.

Heiodroiiia.s nolitariuH ciiimuiiiniii-us. lU'iulniicu town.^i'iuli.

Tachycinotii tlialiis.«iiiu. Wilsoniii iiUMilla pilculata.

Zonotrifliia coroiuita. Ilvluciclila aonalaschkii'.

r)5

! :'l

.\HI.Vnc .\.VI) PACIPIC SI'KCIKS KOf.NI) IS T1£K YTKON HA.SI.V.

Limowi lapponica haiieri.'
Chara<lrius (loiiiiiiicuH fiilvuiJ.'
Ardiibuteo hmojxis.
iScotiaptex cinorea lapponica.'

rvrrliula ca.^uini.

I'ludyti'H llaviiH loui'ostriatii.-'.'

I'liyllopseiistcs borealis.'

ensiB.

chiefly
citic, 7
lid tho
K'voncl.

mdiuntj.

MlailATOHY srKCIIiS .NOT COMMON To .VOItTIIKltN NORTH AMEKIf.V FOUND KlTrilv/
UHEEDlNtl HE.V.SON IN THE VIKON IIASIN AliOVE FOltT YUKON.

Eastern xpecka.

Accipiter atricapillus.
Falco sparvuriuH.
Colai)tes anratiiH lutoup.
Cliordeik'H viru'inianuH.
Empidoiiu.^ trailli alnoruni.
Juiico liyt'iiialiH.
? PaaseroUa iliaca.

Ilelminthophila cclata.
Ileliuintliopliila pereptrina.
Doiulroica striata.
\Vilw)iiia |)usillii.
Hyliick'lila alicia'.
llyloci('lilaaoiiala,«(^lika' palia.«i.
Mcrnla iiiigratoria.

Western xpecieB.

Branta canadensw hutrhin.'ii.

?(JriiH canacloiisi.s.

8ynii)hciiiia MMiiijialmata iiiorimta.

Buk'o )>orL'ali.s calurui^.

? Otoi'ori.H alpi'stri.s k'U('oln;iiia.

Pica pica liiulsoiiica.

? Cak'ariuH kipiioiiicUH alasct'iiijis.

AinniiKlraiiuiH wimlwichonsis alaiulimis.

Zonotridiia It'ucopliry.'i ganibi'li.

Falco eoluiixbariuH ricliardsoiii.

Selaspboriis ruitis.
Sayoriiis saya yukonensic.
Kiii|ii(k)nax haiiiiiioiuli.
Spi/.clki moiiticoki ocbracea.
S|>izi'lla Kocialin arizuiin'.
SciiiruH novel loracc'iis^ia iiotabilin.
AFyaik'stcH tonnscuili.
Ilylocicbla ii-stuiata ahiuu.
Sialia arcticti.

I'lirilic rotlnl fpecies.

LaruH l)racbyrliynchnH.

Ilclodroinas ."ulitariuH cinnanioHuniH.

Ix'ucu.stictc tcpkrocotiH littoralis.

Zoiiotrichia coronata.

Iliruiuk) crythroga.-'tra uiiaiasciikcii.uis.

TachyciiU'ta tkakl.'^^'ilm.

('oiito))UH ricliarilwiiii satiiratiis.

Dcndroica a>Htiva rubiginosa.
Uciidroica coroiiala iiooveri.
i'l'iidroica townsi'iKli.
\\'ilsoiiia pusilla pik'ohita.
Ilylocicblii aoiiaki,xcbka'.
IlesiH-Toci' 'bia iia'via.

.S|>ECIE!S OCtCKlUNd ON TIIK lOAMT OK SOUTlIUA.^T ALASKA ANI> IN TllK YUKON VALLEY.

(iavia imlHT.
LaruH pbikidolpbia.
.Aniw lioM'tiiLx.
Ilistriciiii<'iis lii,><trioiiicuH.
Ouluinia (Ifgkiiiili.

Oidciiiia pi'i'Hi)icilkita.

I'lialaropiiH lobaiiiH.

Actitis iiiacidaria.

llaliactus k'uciici'pbahiH alasuuiuH.

l'k'oi(k'.'J aincricaiuis akiwensls.

' Known only from tlic Yukon Kdta.

NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA.

[NO. 19.

ColaptoH auratus luteun.
Sclaspborus rufus.
ContopuH richardsoiii saturatns.
Enipidonax hammondi.
Sterna paradisiin
Corvua corax principalis.
AinmodramuH sandwic^liensis alaudinus.
Spizella lUDUticola ochracea.
Hirunilo erythrogastra unalaschkensis.

Tac;hyi'ini'ta bicolor.
Dendroica coronata lioovcri.
Deudroica townsendi.
Wilsonia (msilla pileolata.
AntlitiH iwnsilvanicus.
Sitta canadenHiB.
Hylocichla aonalaschkm.
Merula niigratoria.
HesiHjrooichla ntevia.

SPECIES 0«;UKKIN(i ON WlIirK 1'AH.S SU.M.MIT AND IN THE Yl'KON VALLEY.

Sayornis saya yukonensis.

Zonotrichia coronata.

? Wilsonia puwilla pileolata.

Anthus i)en8ilvanicus.

Hirundo erythrogastra unalaschkensis.

SPECIES KOUNU BY IIS ONLY ON WHITE PASS .SITMMIT.

r I'

|!f

nil

Lagopus rupestris.
Lagopus leucurus.

Zonotrichia coronata.
Leucosticte tephrocotiH littoralis.

SPECIES FOITND BY US ONLY ON THE COAST OF SOUTHEAST ALASKA.

?I)cn<lrngapus ohscurus fuliginosus.

Spiiyrapicns ruber.

Cyanocitta Htelleri.

Corvns caurinus.

Junco hycmaliH oregonus.

Junci) hyemali.s connt'cten.«.

Mt'lospi/.a melodia rufina.

Melospiza lincobii striata.
PanHcrcUa iliaca townsendi.
Hehnintiio])hila cclata hitesticns.
Aiiorthiira bienialis j)acifiia.
PaniH rufcscens.
llegulus satrajKi olivaceus.
Regulus cjilenduia grinnelli.

LAND BIRDS FOUND IN LYNN CANAL DISTItKT ONLY NEAR TIDE WATER.

Contopus ricbanlsnni saturatus.

SphyrapicuH ruber.

Cyanocitta stcllcri.

Corviis caurinus.

Spizella inonticola ochracea.

Jiini'o hyeniali.s orcgonns.

Melosi)iza ini'lodia rufiua.

Mclospiza lincoiiii striata.
Tiicbycineta l)icolor.
Ilclniiuthophiia cclata liit4.>scenH.
AntluiH pensilvanicuc.
Sitta canadensis.
Merula niigratoria.

LAND BIRDS KOCND IN LYNN CANAL DISTRICT ONLY NEAR THE LEVEL OF OLACIER.

Colaptes auratus liiteus,
7Den<lragapus ol)scurue (uliginosus.
Junci) liyciiuili.s connectens.
Wilsonia pusilla pileolata.

CinduH niexicainiH.
Anortliunv bietnalis ]>a(^itiea.
Regulua satrapa olivaceus.

Sl'ECIES RECORDED KRO.M THE UPPER YUKON ONLY ABOVE THE I'ELLY RIVER,

Tringa minutilla.

Symplicniia sciiiipalmata inornata.

71Megasc()ps asio !;cnnicottL

?Dryobatcs villosns byloscoims.

Cbordcilcs virginianus.

SelasplioruH rufus.

Contopus lM)realis.

Ilirundo erythrogastra uiuilascbkcnsis.

Tachyciiieta bicolor.
Ilclniinthophila pcrcgriiui.
Dendroica townst>ndi.
Wilfjonia pusilla pileolata.
Ilyldcielila aonalascbkic.
[lylociclila aonalauchka* pallasi.
Siulia an-tica,

[NO. 19.

i).-r.,i900.]

BIRDS OF THE YUKON RKOION.

censis.

11.

LACIER.

IVEU.

HPECIE8 RECORDED FROM TIIK YUKON VALLEY HETWKK.N KOKT YI'KON ANJ) THE I'KI.I.Y

RIVER.

Falco peregrinua tinatum.
?Falt:o colunilmrius.
? Falco colunibarius richardHoni.
Einpidunax trailli aliioruin.
Ototujris alpe«triH leiieola>ma.
CalcariuH hipixinicuH alastiensis.

AoantliiH hornoiiianni cxiliiJt'iJ.

Panserella iliaca.

Soiurus iioveboracciisis iiutabiliH.

AVilsonia piisilla.

Ilylociclila alii'ia-.

Saxicohi d'nanthe.

ANNOTATED LIST OF SPECIES.

1. JEchmophoruB occidentalis. Western Grebe.

Several ween at Bocadequadra, near Dixon Kiitranee, May 28.

2. Colymbus holboelli. Holboell Grebe.

A young male was taken on the ' Canal ' at St. Michael Septeni})er
22. The irides were primrose yellow; basal two-thirds of tlie culinen,
outside tarsi, and lol)es, seal ]>rown; rest of bill, ocher yellow; inside
of the tarsi and lobes, maize yellow; nails, yellowish olive 1)utt'.

3. Oavia imber. Loon.

Seen at Bocadequadra May 28 and in the Inside Passage Ma}- '2\K
Several seen on Lake Bennett and a pair at Cari))oii Crossing between
June 17 and 28. On Lake Marsh they wei-e fonimon and wore fre-
quently heard, especially at night. The last loon cortuinly r(?feral)le
to this species was seen ther<» July (i.

4r. Oavia arctica. Black-throated Loon.

A loon that flew over our boat on Thirty-Mile River July is. and
another seen near Big Salmon River July 20, I helieve wtM-c (inriit
(trctlca. I saw several loons at the Aphoon moutli of th<' Yukon
August 27 and one at St. Michael on 8eptein))iM' 5 and Ki. We <)l>tain('(l
none of them, Imt the experience of others makes it probalile that all
were the black-throated. Dr. Romig, of the ^Moravian Mission on the
Kuskokwim River, told me that his party killed two on August 27 on
the portage from Bethel on the Kuskokwiin to Hendricks Station on
th(! Yukon Delta.

5. Lunda cirrhata. Tufted Puffin.

Osgood saw one at Whale island, near St. Michael, September s.

(). Fratercula corniculata. Horned Puffin.

Wo took two and saw about a dozen puffins near Whale Island Sep-
tember 8. Irides, drab gray; ring on eyelid and lip of 1)111. Ilamc
scarlet; rest of bill dull straw yellow; bare skin at gape, and line along-
base of maxilla, cadmium yellow; line below lower eyelid and bonis,
black; palmations, cadmium orange; tarsi and toes, cadmium orange
above, chrome yellow below; nails varying from drab gray to slate
color.

NORTH AMEBICAN FAUNA.

[NO. 1».

I, *

tl i

7. Simorhynchus pasillns. Least Auklet.

Aukietw were .seen .severul times while we were crossing Berin}^ Sea
in the 6'</rwm October 1-2 and increased in numbers as we approached
the Pribilofs. They were common with various other (unidentified)
species of water birds off Unalaska October 4 and al)iindant in Akutan
Pass October G. I refer them to this species, as Nelson found it the
most abiuidant in these waters.

8. Brachyramphus marmoratus. Marbled Murrelet.

This bird was fairly common in the Inside Passage May 28-21), and
one was killed at Bocadequadra. We saw a f(;w on Ljmn Canal May
30, and I shot one near Skagway May 31. Doubtless some of the
many murrelets seen with auklets near the Pribilof and Aleutian
islands in Octobei were this species.

9. Cepphus columba. Pigeon Guillemot.

Seen at Bocadequadra and along the Inside Passage May 28-20.
Guillemot** which 1 saw near Unaluska October 4 were probably this
species.

10. Uria lomvia arra. Pallas Murre.

The murres seen near St, Michael August 29 and about St. George
Island and Unalaska in October were probably chiell) this species,
though some may have been Unn troile californtca.

11. Stercorarius parasiticus. Parasitic Jaeger.

Common at the Aphoon mouth of the Yukon August 27-28, and
about St. Michael until Septeml>er 10. About this time theii- mnn-
bcrs decreased, ajid the last one was seen September 1<). All a})peared
to bo adults (as were the four collected), and only one was in the black
plumage.

12. Stercorarius longicaudas. Long-tailed Jaeger.

I saw one at the Aphoon mouth August 28, and l)oth Osgood and I
occasionally .saw the species at St. Michael until September 12.

13. Rissa tridactyla pollicaris. Pacific Kittiwake.

Adult kittiwakes were tolerably connuon at St. Michael from Sep-
tember 19 to the end of our stay, but no young were seen. As we
cx'os.scd Bering Sea October 1-5, and at Unalaska October 5-(5, young
kittiwakes were common, and we saw no adults ex('«'pt at St. George
and Unalaska. The irides of the adult are Vandyke brown; ring on
eyelid orange rufous; l)ill sulphur yellow, whitish at tij); gape rufous;
tarsi, toes, palmations, and nails slate black.

14. Rissa brevirostris. Ked -legged Kittiwake.

One was seen by Osgood at Unalaska (Dutch Harbor) October 5.

[NO. 19.

OCT,, 1900.)

BIRDS OF THK YUKON ItEOION.

3'oun}f

15. Larus barrovianus. Point Barrow Gull.

A))Uiiclant on the Lower Yukon, at the Aphoon mouth, and durinjf
September at St. Michael, thou},'h most of the adults had gone by the
middle of the month. While enwi^ing Bering Sea we .saw several
young October 2 and others near Unala.ska October 4- A young
bird shot near St. iMichael Septem])er 19 had the head of a recenth'
killed ptarmigan in it.s throat. The irides of the young are Proufs
Itrown; tip of bill and sides of nails black; rest of bill, toes, and ])al-
mations vinaceous l)ufi'; rest of nails diiib gray.

10. Larus glaucescens. Glaucous-winged (iull.

Large gulls, which doubtless were chiefl}' this species, were common
from Dixon Entrance to Lynn Canal May :i8-30, and we saw a few
near Skagway June 1-2. At Unalaska, where I collected two, they
were almndant Octolier 4-6. A few gulls that followed the Carioln
in th(; North Pacific I think also Ijelonged to this .species.

17. Larus argentatus smithsonianus. American Herring Gull.

The only large gulls I took on the Yukon — a female which had fin-
ished laying, collected at Lake Tagish June 30, and anothi^r taken near
Charlie Creek August S — were this species, and no others came clo.sc
enough to make identitication positive; hence I must refer all the large
gulls seen to Lurm a. n/tufhf<on/amu<, although on several we could see
no black on the prhnari(\s. 1 saw one Hying over White Pass Suinmit
June 12 and another at Bennett (Jity June li*. We saw eight or ten
at Caril)ou Crossing and a fiMV on Lake Tagish. No more were
olwerved until we reached liake Lebarge, July 13; but from this jioint
to the mouth of the river large gulls slowly became more numerous,
one or two being noted every few days. Three fully grown young,
with tluiir parents, were seen on a sand bar about 15 miles al)o\'e
Circle August 12.

18. Larus brachyrhynchus. Short-billed Gull.

Our accpiaintance with this bird dates from our arrival at Lak(>
Marsh, July 1, when^ we found it common, and took downy young
the next day. From this time, until we reached the Tatchun River,
July 23, hardly a day passed that we did not see several; on .Tuly 20
we counted fourteen on a sand bar near Little Salmon River. After
July 23 we saw no mon; until Septeml)er C. when young of the year
iippcared at St. Michael, and wen; common there until the 23d. The
only adult seen at St. ^Michael was noted on Septem})er 11.

The adidt has the irides Prout's brown; ring on eyelids and skin at
commissural angle reddish orange; gape orange; bill, tarsi, and toes
olive yellow; nails l)lack, french gray at Itase.

Natnl plumage: Creamy white, becoming pale cream color on fore-
head, chin, and anterior breast, mottled with dillerent shades of brown,

( •

NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA.

[NO. 19.

except the center of chest and alxlonion. Head markings slate-black,
distinctly defined and numerous, the most charucteristic being one
tiiat covers the entire nasal region, a V on the pileum, a W on the occi-
put, and a somewhat interrupted U on each side of the throat. On
the upperparts tht>, markings l)ecome pale seal ))rown, and with lighter
tips render the lower neck, sides of l)rea.st, Hanks, and anal region
grayish. Bill l»rownish l)lack; tip of bill, tarsi, toes, and palmatiooH
whitish; nails and edges of scutelhe of tarsi and toes hair brown.

1!). Larus Philadelphia. Bonaparte Gull

I saw several small hlac^k-headc' aUls, probably this species, in the
Inside Passage May 29. I took a .>onaparte gull at Caribou Crossing
on June 2i and saw several others. We saw one on Lake Marsh
Jidy 1, a few young at St. George Island October 8, and found them
conunon at Unalaska October 4-5.

20. Xema sabinii. Sabine Gull.

Osgood found a dead bird of this species on the shores of Chilkat
Inlet June 1. The specimen, unfortunately, was not in a condition to
permit its preservation, but it was carefully identified at the time and
showed no apparent variance from the- description and figure in
Itidgway's Manual.

21. Sterna paradiseea. Arctic Tern.

We saw a large fUx^k of ti^rns in the Inside Passage May 29, and
two days later at Skagway saw a f«'\v more, .securing two, which proved
to be of this .spctries. At Bennett, between June 15 and 20, we fre-
(juently saw two or three, and I was iiit'oi-med that arctic terns bred on
a small lake near Log ('abin, British CV)luml)ia. We found a breed-
ing colony of about twenty on a small rocky island lying in the
entrance to Windy Arm, Lake Tagish, .lulj' 1. I found foiu' single
eggs (three fresh and one well advanced in iju'ubation), one set of two
(one fresh and the other at point of hatching), and also a young ])ird
whicli had just left the shell. There were no nests; the young l)ird
and eggs were in the short grass on the top of the island. Except a
single bird, seen at Lake Marsh and j)robal)ly belonging to this colony,
we did not meet with terns again until August 27, when I found this
species common at the Aphoon mouth. A single tern with injured
primaries was seen frequently at St. Michael up to September 21.
The downy young diil'ers fronithi! description given in Baii'd, Brewer
and Ridgway's 'Water Birds,' in having the forehead plain dusky, the
chin whitish, the basal half of bill, t^rsi, and toes salmon pink, and the
rest of ])ill and nails black.

22. Diomedea albatrus. Short-tailed Albatross.

A dark-brown albatross, probal)ly the young of />. dlhttrm, joined
the Corw'in October 1, about 15t) miles from St. Michael. It was soon

[NO. 19.

e-black,

ills' *^"**

ho occi-

at. On

lighter

region

lnmtion»

wn.

in the
Crossing

Marsh
nd them

OCT., 1900.]

BIKD8 OF THK YUKON UK<H(»N.

acconipaniiHi l»y othern, and until w«' n'liclu'd ( 'a]w Scott, OctoluT i'2,
a glance aHtern would .seldom fail to show two or tiiree following the
vc.s.sel.

23. Fulmarus glacialis glupischa. Pacitic Fulniar.

A single dark-col ;)red fidniar, possibly this foi-ni, was seen October
4, between St. George andUnidaska.

24. Oceanodroma furcata. Forked-tailed IVtn^l.

To this species I refer a few light-colored petrels seen October 3,
on Bering Sea north of the l'ri)»iIof Islands.

25. Fhalacrocorax pelagicns. Pelagic Cormorant.

Cormorants were seen Octolier 4 near Unahiska, where tiiis species
[8 reported as common.

26. Fhalacrocorax pelagicus robustus. Violet-green Ci i inorant.

We saw a single cormorant at Whale Island September M; and on«' —
possibly the same bird- -was seen by Osgood several times at St.
Michael.

27. Fhalacrocorax urile. Red-faced Covmoi-jint.

This is the only cormorant rejjorted by William I'almer from St.
George, where we saw several October 3.

28. Merganser americanus. American Merganser.

A pair of mergansers was breeding on a small, rocky island in Luke
Tagish, at the entrance to Windy Arm, June 3(i-Jidy I. Tlie nest was
found by Osgood in a crevice in the cliffs about 15 feet above the
water. It was made of down, and contained seven vggs about one
week advanced in incubation. Retrieving would have iieen impossible
had we shot the bird, l)ut as 1 suci'ceded in watching the female on the
nest from a distance of less than G feet I feel positive of the species.

A few other mergansers, usually in paii's. wen^ s(>en on Ijak(^ Tagish
July 1, on Lake Marsh July S. at Fifty-Mile River July 1> and 12 (a
flock of a dozen males flying up the river in the evening of the latter
date), near Little Salmon River ,luly 20, and about 25 miles above
Circle August 12. Near C^harlie Creek we found the drieti wing of an
adult male of this species August 8.

2i). Ana8 boschas. Mallard.

On the flats of Chilkat Inlet I saw seven June 2. In no part of the
Yukon Valle}' above Circle did we And ducks a))undant, except surf
scoters, l)ut the mallard undoubtedly occurs at all suitable places
throughout the region. It must l)reed very early, as on Jiuie 24, oidy
three weeks after the lakes wei'e open to steamer navigation, 1 found
a female with two young at Caribou Crossing, and on June 28 1 shot

, ;

<>' m

NOKTH AMEHIOAN tAHNA.

[NO. 19.

another foumlc, tliorc and cauj^lit two of her half dozen downy j'oung.
Two ducks, prohal)ly nialhirds, were, ,sei>n on Lake Marsh July 0, and
at MHe.s Canyfui Maddren was informed they had l»een common there
earlier in the, season. We saw several females with young in the
marsh}' ponds at the foot of Lake Lcbargo July 17, a few adults near
the Little Salmon July 20, and a good-sized flock near Cliarlio Village
August 10. Osgood shot one near Fort Yukon August 21.

In the large flocks of geeso and ducks disturbed by the steamer on
the Lower Yukon were two young mallards, secured at Hendi-jcks
Station August 25. Mallards were common at the Aplioon mouth
August 27, and wo saw a few at St. Michael September 2.

30. Mareca americana. Baldpate.

Five ducks that I took to bo baldpates were seen a short distance
above Fort Selkirk July 25.

31. Nettion oarolinensis. Green-winged Teal.

Three teal that 1 saw in the creek at Circle, August l!», were prob-
ably this species. Green-winged teal were common in the tundra
ponds about St. Michael during the first half of Septem))er, but
apparently did not occur after September 16. All that were taken
were young birds.

32. Dafila acuta. Pintail.

Maddren was told at Miles Canj'on, July 11, that pintails were com-
mon, but wo saw none near enough for identification until August 27,
when I found them aljundant at the Aphoon mouth. Seven were here
killed bj' a passenger on the steamer. During September young
pintiiils far outnuml>ered all other ducks on the marshes and tundra
ponds about St. Michael. Large niuu))ei's were killed by the Eskimos,
but no adults were seen, l^'heir immbers had greatly decreased by
September 20.

33. Aythya marila. Scaup Duck.

We saw a tlock of al)out a dozen adult males at Cariltou (crossing
June 24, and another of about twenty on the Yukon, a short distance
above Fort Selkirk, July 25.

84. Aythya affinis. Lesser Scaup Duck.

We found a pair with young on a small pond at LoMcr Lebarge
July 17. Osgood s(>ciu*ed the female.

M.""). Clangula clangula americana. Aniericati (ioldeii-eye.

\ am confident that a Hock of ducks seen about 25 miles above C'irclo
August 12 were males of this species or of V. ialandica.

.4*'

[no. 19.

mrr.,\'M).\

HlltDS (»K rHK YUKON RKOION.

<$3

young.
■ <>, and

ill the
lt« iiciir
Villiigt!

l)Ut

l«irge

36. Charitonetta albeola. liiitHc-lu-ad.

I shot a ft'uiaU' on a siiiiill poiul ncMir Lako Marsh .hily s, and saw
a nuilo, near Lltthi Sahnon River July 20. iMaddren was inforincd
that buffle-heads were connnoii near Aliles {'aiiyon. and a Itoy at Lower
Leijargc said they Itred conuiionly on tlie ponds near there, and that
ho took two young July 16.

37. Harelda hyemalis. Old Spiaw.

Single young l)irds were found fre((uently during Septeniher in the
small ponds about St. Miehacl, and a flock of about a dozen was seen
in the harbor September 11. No adults were observed. One young
bird, taken early in September, still retained nat^il down on the hind-
neek.

38. Histrionicus histrionicus. Harlecpiin Duck.

We saw a niali^ and two females in Wrangell Narrows May UK. A
rtoek of twelve males eanui close to the shore at Bennett June IS; and
on June 23 a single male swam so near that men sitting on the beaeh
threw stones at it. One other harleciuin was seen a few miles al)ove
Fort Selkirk July 25. Ur Komig told me he saw a numl)er on the
portage from the Kuskokwim to the Yukon August 24-25.

3!l. Somateria v-nigra. Paeitie Eider.

We saw the head of a male of this species lying in the window of
the hotel at St. Michael, and the soldiers at the barracks had a
mounted bird, shot near St. Michael in the spring, l)ut we saw no
living eiders of any species during our trip.

40. Oidemia americana. American Scoter.

We noticed a few in Wrangell Narrows May 21>, and I saw a number
otf Unalaska October 5.

41. Oidemia deglandi. White-winged Scoter.

This species was fairly numerous at Bocadequadra, Wi'angell Nar-
rows, and L\'nn Canal May 28-30. We saw two on Lake Marsh July
(), two on Lake Lel)arge July 14, and a Hock of al)out twenty-tive Hying
up Fifty -Mile lliver from Lake Lebarge on the evening t)f .luly 12.

42. Oidemia perspicillata. Surf Scoter.

In Lyiui Canal, near Haines, .Tune 1 we noted a large Hock of surf
scoters, most of which had disappeared the next day. Thej- were
abundant on all the Yukon lakes except Bennett, which avi. ahnost
destitute of bird life. On Lake Tagish we saw fourteen June 30, and
at Lake Marsh thirty to forty males almost every day between July
1 and 8. We saw no more, except a pair on July 11 on Fifty -Mile
River, which connects Lake Marsh with Lake Lebarge, until wo

il'i

I /

<)4

NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA.

[NO. 19

I '

entered Luke LclKir};o on tho ovt^iiiiijf of July I'i, vvIh'ti a tlock of at
l<'a.-<t a iiuiHlifil Hew hijjfh overhead from (he direction of tlin lako.
About, .S J). 111. and at 10 p. in. of tlu> .suaic evening, and on the next
nioniiny. we saw what we took to Ix' thft same flock. The l)irds wore
jirohahly taking- a moniitiii' aii<l evening flight, such as K. S. liryant
has i)otiee<l in the ease of the Avliite-winged scoters hi'oeding at Devils
Lake, Nortli Dakota; and I believe tiiat with both species these flights
an> taken ehielly to exercise the wing nuisehjs. We saw no females
on any of the lakes, nor conld we tin<l tliem on the. shore, though they
wen^ iindou))tedly nesting in the vicinity. We obsei'ved several on
Thiity-Miie Hiver .luly IS and tw(» near the Little Saliuon July 20.
Near ^N'hale Island, at St. IMicluu'l. we saw a nundu'r Septemlior S,
and two st-oters, proliably young of this species, Septendier 21. I
think ther^^ were a few with the American scoters I saw at Unalaska
October o.

4;5. Chen hyperborea. Lesser Snow Goose.

1 saw Ave snow gees(! at the Aplioon mouth .Vugust 28, and a large
flock at St. Michael September 11.

41. Anser albifions gambeli. Aracricjan White-fronted Goose.

A single wiiite-fi'onted goose was s<hm by Osgood among a numlier
of other birds killed by natives atiout thi Yukon Delta August 2it.

15. Branta canadensis hntchinsi. Ilutchins (tooso.

Altiiough Maddren was informed thiit a goose with four young ,vas
seen jiear White Hor.ie Rapids about .Iid^' 11, and although tlie
sergeant 1.'. cl irge of the police station of Lower Lebarge told us
tliji* tlionsaiid< of geese and ducks passed there in the sj)ri)!g, and
that he liad counted tweiily-foui distinct species, and had killed both
Ilutchins a'id eacklii'g geese, we did not see a goose of any species
until we weic in the neighborhood of Chailit! Village, August 10.
There we saw a Dock of about twenty of tlie Brantu f-^z/i/^/rv/.s/.v group,
and Osgood shot two lu.'t< hhinl iv\\(\ saw many nioie near Fort Yukon
August L'l. lirowii geese, apparently <"hiefly this subspecies, were
conmioii Oh the Yukon Hats and on the lower rivn', espci iaily the
Yukon Delta. A Ilutchins goose was lirought to the steamer /iVAv^
/w/v'1iyaii Eskimo August L't), and I f(»und the liird common at the
Aphoou inoulli August 27-28. Prospectors on the l\<rr told me that
geese bred abundantly at the head waters of the Porcupine and the
ivarshes at thi' source of Kirch Creek.

[hiring September this species was common aliout St. Michaelin
small Hocks, but very shy; Osgood took o'le September 28.

\PhUiicti c(ni(«ficii. KmptM'oi' Goom'. Dr. Roniig told me thoy
were common on the tundia ah»ng the Ku.kokwim, j

\\-

""*"■■■—'■

[NO. 19

OCT., 1900.]

HIRDS (»K THK YUKON KK(}I(»N.

k of iit

ic lako.

lit- next

(Is wore

linant

t IVvil.^

> Hi.irht«

ftMiialos

ij(h they

vcrul on

iulv lit).

iii})er ^S,

r 21. I

Inalaskii

liey

\Olor rnhiiiiliiiijiiis. Whistliiifi'Swaii. \\ C were told that a .•^wari -
probably this species- was kiUcd at Circle (hiriiiiL;' the spiiiio-. |

46. Grus canadensis. Litth> lirow i C'laiie.

Along the Yukon we did not .>> i! any cranes, althonijh I tiioujjht 1
heard one near the Little Salmon -Fidy :il, and a man who had spent
the summer at Circle told me he had heai'd and seen tlie suid-
hill crane'' there freciueiitly durini>- the past two months. I was also
infoi'med by prospectors tliat tliese cranes were found in small num-
bers at the head waters of Hirch Creek and I'oi-cupine River.

Near 8t. Michael we saw tiocks of from two to six individuals each
almost daily during the first half of September, but none later than Sep-
tembei- 15. On the night of Se})tember IH and all the following day
there was a hard southwest gale. On the 14th we saw large num-
bers — O.sgood counted ninety-six— flying .south, high in the air.

47. Crymophilus fulicarius. lied I'halarope.

We saw a small tlock near Skagway in Lynn Canal June "2, and
othern I believed- to be thi.s species near Wrangell Narrows and in
Prince Frederick Sound May 2lt. Osgood took one at St. Miehael
September 17 during a heavy .storm.

48. Phalaropus lobatus. Northi'rn Phalarope.

Large Hocks were .s(!en near Hixon Kntraiice May 'iS, and smaller
ones on the Inside Passage May i!it. From a Hock of about twenty on
Lake L(>barge July 13 1 shot a female that was changing to winter
plumage, and on a Hmall pond at Lower Lebarg*' July 17 \ took a
male that was in worn breeding plumage. At St. Michael September
2 1 caught a young bird that had butone wing, and on St. (ieorge
Island October 8 i shot one that was swimming alone in a pool.
Phalarojjev., probably this species, were .seen on liering Sea October
1 and 4.

4!>. Gallinago delieata. Wil.son Snipe.

At Haines May :'.l 1 was tohl that .several Wilson snipe had been
.seen that day, but was unable to rind then). We saw one on b'ifty-
Milo River not far below Lake Marsh July 10, and another in the
marsh at Lmver Lebarge July 17. Osgood .saw one at Cii'cl(> .Vugu.st
is, and I kilK'd two from a small Hock at Hendricks Station ,\ugust
2.'). At St. Michael we .saw eight or ten single birds between Sep-
tember \'l and ±2.

.')(». Tringa couesi. .VIeutian Sandpiper.

Coimnon about the hiva rocks that line the shore at St. Miehael,
where flocks of live to rifty were ob.served, but oe.ly small Hocks after
Scptemb(>r 15. A few were occasionally seen on the tidal nuul Hats,
44i>4— No. il> b

NOliTU AMKUICAN FAUNA.

(NO. I'J.

but HOMO about t ■ mkIs in the interior of the iMlund or on tlic salt
meadow behind the *<>\y< Out of eighty specimens taken only eight
were adults, and five <.f these were taken before September !». On tho
roeky shores of a point opposiU' Dutch Harbor, irnalaska, 1 found
them coiiunon October 5. Those taken at St. Michael wen; molting
into first winter plunmge, which is practically complete in the Una-
laska birds. In this plumage there is c<)nsiderable individual differ-
ence in the width and shade of the pale edgings of the feathers of the
upperparts.

Tho irides wci'" Vandyke brown: bill, black changing to olive buff
in basal half; tiirsi and toes, yellowish olive l)uti' washed with black;
nails black.

I find great sexual variations in size in this species, the f<»males, a.>
in many other species of Limicohe. a\'eraging considerably larger,
especially in length of ]>ill. Measurements of twenty-nine males:
Length H.dO to 8.1)4 (average M.u7) inches; wing 4.37 to 5.1:^ (average
4.89) inches; exposed culnien 0.96 to 1.13 (average l.Ofi) inches; tar-
sus 0.91 to 1.03 (average 0.90) inches. Measurements of thirty-four
females: Length 8.5*) to 9.r)6 (average 9.03) inches; wing 4.47 to 5.31
(average 4.98) inthes; exposed culmen l.KI to 1.42 (average 1.24)
inches; tarsus 0.96 to 1.05 (average 0.99) inches.

51. Tringa ptilocnemis. Pribilof Sandpiper.

We saw a nuuii)er on St. George October 3, hut too close to the
rookiU'v of fur seals to l)e ol)tained.

52. Tringa acuminata. Sharp-tailed Sandpiper.

First found September IS, when six were seen with a large tloi'k
of 7'. (/. jHidfca at St Michael. We did not see more than a dozen
of this species during the rest of September. Although th(^ species
has not l)(>en hitherto recorded from St. CnMU'ge Island, we took three
and saw about ii do/<'n during the slioit time we wert> there October 3.
At Unalaska, October 5, 1 secun^l one which was with 7'. coiux! on
the rocky beach. Tlie irides were Vandyke hrovvn; maxilla and distal
half of mandible, dark seal brown, mandiltle changing to dull olive butf
at base; gai)e ecru drab; tarsi and toes, greenish niai/e yellow; nails
black.

53. Tringa maculata. Pectoral Sandpiper.

This sju'cirs was present througiiout oar stay at St. Mic^Sswl, usually
asHOi'iating with ilocks of T. a. p(ioh''<-ii, hut in very small numlK -s,
not more tiian twenty being seen. All the siwcimens taken were
young birds. Osgood took one at St. (ieorge October ;'.. and I >ne -it
Uuulaska Octobor 5,

NO. 19.

<'i.T., 1900.1

mUDS OK THK YUKON KKGION.

()7

1(1 .suit
ly t'ij>ht

On the
i I'ouikI
molting
111' Umi-

.liffer-
•s of the

ales, afc
liir{,'-or,
nuilo.s:

\.2i)

IK M.

54. Tringa bairdi. Buinl SiindpiixT.

Two windpipcrs. prohuhly of this six-cics. (lew hy ii.s on Laivci Marsh,
and we saw four inorc in the niarsiics of Lower Lel)iir<!:e, i)ut failed
to secure any of them. I siiot one younj^' itirtl near tiie 'ralikandiic
River .\.u<,nist 7. Osjjood shot one from a llock of four at Circle
Au<,nist ir>. and anotlier near Fort Yukon .Vugust 21.

55. Tringa minutilla. Least Sandpiper.

At the southern end of Lake Marsh, not fai' from wiiere Six-.Mile
River enters, the surrounding country is hnel, and at higli water the
hike stretches fa !• hack through a den.se growth of willows. .Vt the
time of our visit the retreating water of the lake had left a helt of
grass between the.se willows and its margin. Here on the evi'iiing of
July 2 I found three pairs of least sandi)ipers, and after a long search,
.somewhat interrupted hy hordes of uios(|iiitoes, 1 came upon a female
surrounded ))v four downy young. Both i)arents tried time and
again the Avell-known 'woundiMl-hird" tactics to lure me from the spot
where the 5'oung were hidden in the Itunches of gra.ss, and. finding
this a failiue, would circle ai'ound me oidy a few yards otl'. uttering a
plaintive twitter. I .saw two other least sandpipers on the west shore
of Lake Marsh July 7.

Natal plumage: Lower ])arts. forehead and orltital region, hrownish
white. r))])ciparts bright ciiuiamon I'ufous mottled with hlack; many
leathers, especially on head. rump, and tail, tipped with white. I'ost-
orbital line and loral line blackish, and .spot of l»right cinnamon rufous
on sides or ch.-st. Trides dark hrown: Itill and. nails, slate black: tarsi
and toes, pale slate.

5(). Tringa alpina pacifica. Ued-l»acked Sandpi))er.

Young red-l)acked .sandpipeis were very ahundant at St. Miclia»>l
during our stay, many times ontnumlK>rii\g all other Limicoia'. Karly
in Septeml)er they frequented chiefly the nuid Hats on the coast, hut
aftei' the middle of the moi\th large numbers were found only about
the pools of the .salt marsji. Septeud»er ii4. when the tundra was (juite
thoroughly froi^en, with snow in every hollow and a skinmiing of
ice on the pools. I .saw at h ust one hundred in this latter [)lace.

In several taken early in .S(«j)teiid)er the back of the neck was still
covere-! with down, hut th(> majority were in full juvenile plumage.
Sonn- siii! retiiined this plumage at the time we left St. Michael, hut
th(> larger ]K)rtion had molti'd into winter plumage. Oidy two adults
weve tak(>n. Septemhei- 1 nrid 5. A few were seen at .St. (Jeorge
Island ()ct)ber '.].

Calidris arenaria. Sanderling.

saw ll ree at St. .Michael .September II and collected

proved to lie a xoinig female.

, which

N(»KTH AMERICAN FAUNA

[no. 19.

l)S. Totanus flavipes. Y(>ll()w-lt'<>s.

On .Inly 1, svliilc tloatiiit;' down Six-Mile Kivcr close to its ciitrancc
into Lake Mai'sh, we wen; attracted by the anxious cries of a pair of
yellow-lcifs. Osf>-oo([ shot both birds, and we found two downy young
in the <>i'ass (tn tlie shore of the river. Enterinj;f Lake Marsh wc
heard a yellow-leys' whistle, and on Jul}' 2 I saw a yellow-legs near
whore T found the least sandpiper. I eoUected a female on the west
shore of liake Marsh ,Iul\ cS, and a male, the hist 1)ird of this species
seen, near a small })ond at Lower Lel)arge July 17. Both these birds
undoubtedly had eggs or young ch)se l)y, for they alighted exclusively
in trees, scolded vocifonmsly, tilting the bod}' with each cry. and
refused to '<'a\'e. Bare spaces on the breast show that ))oth sexes
assist in incubation.

N'ltal i)liunage: I'pperparts and thighs, dark seal brown, many of
the feather's tipped with cream bull' and whitish; longitudinal lines on
vump. cream color, inclosing central, seal-l)r()wn space. Forehead,
butfy white, extending in narrow lines on sides of crown to occiput,
and in l)i'oader lines above eye to nap(% the latter crossed by trans-
verse dark lines extending from eye to occiput. Line beginning at
base of culmen enlarged to dark .space on crown and occiput. t>xtend-
ing down neck to back, seal brown; other dark lines extending from
crown above eye to occiput, and from nostrils through eye to nape.
Throat and center of altdomen silvery white; rest of lower parts and
sides of neck. l)uliy white; each fcathei' of lower [jarts Ix'coming
1»rownish black at l)ase. Trides, Vandyke brown; l>ill, black at tip,
changing to gretnisli i>H\c at base; tarsi and toes, \illow. ))aler than
in adult, and mottled with brown; nails, brown. The juvenile plumage
is appi'ariiig. in this specimen, on wings, wing cox cits, chest, and sides.

5!». Helodromas solitarius cinnamomeus. vW^torn fSoiilary Sandpiper.
At Ivog ('al>in. Uriii>l, (,'oluuibia. on tho evewii^ of June 14, we
noticed a sandpiper wli^ ug thmugli the air, liko rth' woodcock at its
))i'eeding place, occji^i.ii y utiei'ing :i i^athfr »»*^ii«'Hl whistle. The
next inoniing i found it feeding in a sinnll ssw»»^x It V'oxfd t he a
solitary sandpiper, as I had sii^pccbni on th*- pn'vious evening.
Osgood saw another near Lake .Mai"^ -July ."i, and I saw two near
Little Salmon Uivei- .lu!y 21. On Juty S, after rowing a !'« >> miles
down Jjake Marsh, wc stop) )ed for lunch on the west shon', whnva
fort'st lire had killed most of the trees, and fallen trunks piled in ond-
less confusion. Iirush. small pools, and hoitU's of mosquitoes it-mieivd
the place anything ImI a i)aradi>c. Here 1 ««tHrtled a solitstry satHl-
pipeiand a yellow-legs at the salln^ instnnt. They lightol «»« the hnlf-
falh'n trees and scolded inc. tilting their bodies at each crv. The
solitary sandpiper. whi<h d()ul)tless liad a nest there, ditl'ei-ed ehietly
from castA'rn specimens «>f salt'tdftHs in having dark, whvv markii*^

[NO. 19.

OCT., 1900.)

lURDS OF THE YUKON KKOION.

(')9

'itiiiiice

l)uir of

young

irsh we

gs near

he west

species

-(' l)ii'ds

iisively

■\ , and

II sexes

on inner wcl)s of outer priniiiries. Osgood took a lypieal young of
cinnamaincH.s and saw another on an island near Sixty-Mile ("reelv
August 1. .

60. Symphemia semipalmata inornata. Westt^' n Willet.

While in a meadow a short (listune(> l)ack from tht^ .southeast end of
Lake Marsh July "l 1 heard a willet whi.><tle .several times its unnds-
takahle '})ill-wiUet.' hut failed to see the bird.

61. Heteractitis incanus. Wandering Tattler.

Osgood took an adult at Skagway May ;')!. 1 shot a young bird
from a Hock of three at St. Michael Se])teiiih(M- 1. saw one on Whale
Island Septem))er S, and secured two at Unalaska October Ti.

The iridcs of the adult were \andyke l)ro\vn; bill, l)iack, base v)f
mandilde brownish; tarsi and toes, brownish ocher; nails, bhu'k. in
the 3'oung. the 1)111 changed from black to sage green in basal third of
mandible, and to greenish olive at i)as(> of ma.xilla; tarsi and toes,
dull gallstone yellow, greenish at joints.

02. Actitis macularia. Spotted Sandpiper.

1 saw one at Skagway .lune :'«. and Osgood one at (Hacier dune S.
This is preeminently the shore l»ir(l of the Yukon Basin; we saw two
at Bennett dune IS, and until we reached Circle, August 15, hardly
a day passed without our seeing many ruiming along th(> shore, oi'
skimnung over the river. They Avere especially al)un(lant between
White IIor.se Kapids and Lake Lel)arge. After the 1st of Augu.st
most of the spotted siuidpipers seen seemed to be traveling ujjstream
in small Hocks. We saw no adults after August 4.

The tirst set of eggs was found at Caribou Crossing dnne 27; the
lastut the Tatchun River duly 28. The lirst young noticed were in n
nest contaiiung three young and one ))ipped y'\i)f found on Lake Marsti
duly 7. Both sexes were incubating. Nests were close to th<' shore,
and also on small rocky islands in th(> lakes.

CWl Numenius hudsonicus, Hudsoiuan Curlew.

1 secured one from a ilock of four curlews on the marshes of Chilkat
Inlet, and Osgood found a dead Itird in the woods at Haines, .luiie I.
Three yomig were brought to the .steanuu- liy iui Eskimo at the Aphoon
mouth August 2S. I .sawoneat St. Mieha(>l Septembei' 2. and, 1 tlunk.
anothei' Septcndtei' 14.

Adult: Iridcs, vandyke bi'o^vn; bill and nails. Mack; tarsi and toes
einerecnis. Young (Massachusetts specimen); Iride-. raw innber;
maxilla, black; mandible, clov(> bi'own, blackish at tip. \ in;.ceous
toward base; tarsi and toes, olive urav; nail>, black.

NORTH AMKRICAN FAUNA.

[NO. in

64. Squatarola squatarola. liluck-bellitMl Plovor.

At the Aphoon mouth of the Yukon I saw ii flock Aiij>ust 28.
Osjjood saw threo 3'oung which had been .shot oii the niaiuhind near
St. Michael September 1<>, and from this date to the end of our sfciy
we saw occasionally one or two birds of the year, one of whi<'li was
taken September 16.

65. Charadrius dominious fulvus. Pacific Golden Plover.

None were seen until September 16, after which youni^ birds liecame
fairly common on the boggy tundra al)out St. Michael and the mud
flats along the shore. The only adult seen was taken b}' Osgood Sep-
tember 25. We saw a number of young birds on St. (leorge Island
October H, and Osgood secured one. Crossing Bering Sea we saw some
near Unalaska October 4, and I saw one on October 8, when we were
several hundred miles south of the Aleutian Islands. Tliis bird flew
several times around the ('(irinln, answering my every whistle, and
seemed anxious to alight. The specimens collected difl'er greatly in the
amount of the golden coloring, t)ut all are far more golden than Massa-
chusetts skins of doiii/n/cu.-<, and all have the shorter wings oifulviis.
Irides. vandykc brown; t)ill and nails, })lack; tarsi and toes, slate
gray.

W>. iEgialitis semipalmata. Semii)almated Plover.

Osgood collected a niai(> at Caribou Crossing .June 24. and a pair of
adults and one pippc-1 egg at the southcin end of Lake Marsh ,luly
2. 1 ninovod the 3'oung bird froni the shell, and within half an hour
the di>wn was almost dry, the eyes were open, and it cnuld hop aluntl
on its 'knees.* Ma^ldren took another aduit at this place ,Iul\ U, and
1 a female and four eggs nearly hatched, on the west shore of Lake
Miirsh on the same day. The nest was a hollow, lined with a few
gras.-ies and dead leaves, and was situated about S feet from the water
in the drift detiris among the stones of X\w \'><^A\. Wi' saw three or
four on a sand flat neai' Charlie Village \»vi^ust 1(>; ?^ few about 15
miles above (.'iicle August 12, and the hist at Circle August 15.

Pare pectoral spaces showed that 1><>th sexes assist in incubation.
Natal plumage: Lower jtarts, whit\\ sepjvnUed l>y l»road bai'e space on
nci-k, changing to cream color iM\ lower tnil v^>vorts. Above, cream
color, mottled with black, (hanging to hurt on wings and tail. Fore-
head and infraorbital palcluvs. cnx^ui color; l)road band on neck
encircling head, white, boi'dercd hUao by narrow band of black
extending from bill annuid occiput, >^»ul comiecting in malar region
with Idack lin<' leading to inner canlhus of eye. Spot on forehead, on
sides of chest at lower bordiM' of IvuH' s])ace. on sidtvs and on flanks,
black. Irides, dark; bill and uiMls, black; tarsi and toes, slate color,
whitish posteriorly.

[ND. Ill

OCT., 1900.1

BIRDS OF THK YUKON REGION.

Ji'u.st 28.
iikI near
our stay
hi<li was

(i7. Arenaria melanocephala. Black Tunistoiic.

Wo found a .small llork on the rocky shore at St. Michael Aujjust
31.; I took throe \oiing there the next day, and on Soptenihor ."> I .saw
a single turnstono flyiiig acro.ss the marsh. On St. George Island,
October 5, we saw a numhoi" of t)irds that wo had no doiiht wo.re black
turnstones, but 1 do not tind this species recorded from the Pribilofs.
and we were una)>lo to obtain specimens. Irides, vandyke brown;
bill, olive l)lack; tarsi and toes varying fi'om day color to vinacoous
cinnamon, and washed with black; nails, black.

68. Dendragapus obscurus fuliginosus. Sooty (Jrouse.

Wo were told that grouse wore coumu)?) on the heights al)ovo Skag-
way, but although we often found droppings wo saw no Itirds, and the
spring 'calling' of the male had ceased. Maddren and I hoard a bird
that must have been this species 'booming' far upon the hillside from
the ravine above Glacier .Juno 8.

69. Canachites canadensis osgoodi. Alaska (Ji-ouso.

CaniwhiU'K ci-tiiitileii.'iis (is;/(i(jili Bisliop, .Vuk, XVII, 11-4. .Vjirii, litOO.

We tirst met the Alaska grouse at iiennott City, whore Osgood shot
a laying female .lune 22. At Caribou Croissing he found feathers of
this grouse in a magpie's nest and in one of his mamma! traps. At
Lake Marsh he shot four females and four young .luly 4—5, at Lake
Lebarge a female .July li, at Lower Lol)argo a fcMtiaio and one young
July 17, and on Thirty-Mile River an adult male .luly 11>. Ho found
the birds frequenting the thickets of poplars and young spruces and
remarkably easy to approach. 1 saw a male at Lake Lol)arg(> .luly 16,
and shot a well-grown young near tlu; Tatchun River .July 16, but
did not meet with the .species elsewhere. This ))ird was reported as
common at Lower Lel>uige by the police .sergeant stationed tlioro; at
Rampart City l)y Mr. IJurkman, and along the Ivuskokwim by Dr.
Romig.

70. Bonasa umbellus umbelloides. Gray Ruffed (trouso.

I secured a female and one young bird on the west shore of Lake
L«'barge .July 1-1, and another femah' that had a brood of young, two-
thirds grown, iit Lower Lel)argo -July 17. O.sgood took a young bird
fi'om a ci)vi\v near Rink Rapids .July 2'2. The .sergeant at Low(>r
Lel)arge called this species rare, but 1 was told it was common near
Rampart City.

71. Lagopus lagopus. ^^'illow rtarudgan.

'I'wo flocks were found on the tundra at the Aphoon mouth Augu.st
28, one alighting close to the .steamer. Not seen at St. .Michael until
SeptcnibcM' II, when about one luuidrod apix'ai'od. Those wore .seen
frequently after this date, lait W(Me exceedingly shy. Most of those

NORTH AMKRICAN FAUNA.

[NO, 19.

i I'

taken wiM'c younjf Itirds, and all wort^ in full molt. The iiidcs of a
young male t^iken Soptoinbcr' 10 were vandyke brown; skin above
eye, rufous; bill, slate l)lHek. whitish at tip and salmon but!' at ])ase of
mandible; nails, white.

We were told that ptarmigan were very al>un(lant near Atiin. British
Colum])ia, at the head waters of the Porcupiiu^ River and Birch Creek,
near lliunpart City, along the Kuskokwim, and in winter at Glacier
and Lower Lebaige. Doubtless some of tliese stjitements refer to the
following species.

72. Lagopus rupestris. Rock Ptarmigan,

At White PassSmnmit, June 11 and 13, we took three males still in
whit(> i)lumage (excepting a few dark feathers on iiead and lower
neck), and saw a few others. Osgood found two <'ggs there. i)robably
of the previous year, lying on the moss under an alpine hemlock.
Dr. Romig told me that this soccies was more common than L. ItK/ojiiia
along the Kuskokwim.

\L(ujopnx TupcHtrlx iwlxoiil. Nelson PtJirmigan. We were told at
Unalaska that this species had been aliundant during the summer on
Unalaska Island, ])ut that the birds had been almost exterminated l)y
the officers of an English man-of-war. We saw none during tlu> da\'
and a half wo were there.]

73. Lagopus leucurus. White-tuiled Ptarmigan.

Osgood took a white-tailed ptarmigan flune 8 on the suminit of the
cliffs a])Ove Glacier, and saw several other ptarmigan, prol)uhly of this
species. On June 8 ho found at the .same place, on the moss un<leran
alpine hemlock, fragments of two ptarmigan eggs, sparingly dotted
with lirown as in Ivucurm.

7-i. Circus hudsonius. !Marsh HaAvk.

We saw one at Lake iSIarsh July 8, one at Tiuke Lcbarge July 12,
a young bird on which duck hawks wen; feeding near tlie Talikandik
River August 7. one about 20 miles above Circle August 12, and two
at Circle August 15 and 20. At the Aphoon mouth I saw .several
August 28. At St. Michael we secun>d a young bird Sei)teml)er 2,
and saw single marsh hawks on September (>, 7, and 11. The young
bird taken is noticeal)ly darker than young from Dakota and New
F^ngland.

75. Accipiter velox. Sharp-shinned Iliiwk.

1 saw one at Lower Lebarge fliily 17. and two near White River
July 30; Osgood found one fcM'ding on a Ihi'iish near Charlie Creek
August H: at Circle 1 saw one August IT and shot an adult female
August 1!>. Osgood found a nest of this species, about 1.5 feet

[no. 19.

■i<l('.s of 11
ill above

it ))ilS(> of

1. Hritish

t (Jliicior
"<'r to the

s still in

d lo\V(M"

I'ohilhly
• Miilock.

told jit

inner on

Mated l)y

tli(( day

lit of the
y of thi,s
iiKh'ran
y dotted

filly 12,
ilvaiidik
nd two
several
iilxM- 2,
.young
d Now

Hivor
( Jreek
einah'
5 feet

(JCT.,1900.J

BIKD8 OF THE YUKON REGION.

from the ground, in a .small .spruc(> in the center of an inland near the
Noi'denskiohl River July 22, and 1 secured the female, whose cioi)
held the tibia, tarsus, and toes of a tlicker. The ne.st contained three
downy, but very pugnacious young, one infertile (']l]l. and the remains
of a young intermediate sparrow. I kept two of the young alive
until July 31, when both worn well feathered and trying to fly and
were as irascible as ever. The last survivor succeeded in gettiii<;' out
of his box w'iile we were moored at Dawson, Hew into the Yukon, and
was cai'ried rapidly along by the cunent, though struggling valiantly
to reach the shore. I susp(!ct that it succeeded, as I heard a man who
hurried after it say later that he would have 'fricasseed chicken for
diimer."'

70. Accipiter atricapillus. American (loshawk.

I saw an adult Hying high above the shore of Lake Marsh .Inly S
with a mammal, probably a ground scpiirrel, in its talons.

77. Buteo borealis caluruc. Western Ilcnl-tail.

This is presuma])l\' the common hawk of the Fpper Yukon; for the
two large hawks taken are this species, and the numerous others seen
resembled these in appearance, lli},'ht, and cry. About half were in
the melanistic plumage.

Passing down Six-Mil(> River ,Iuly 1 we saw three large buteos
circling, and we noticed othei's frefpiently, usually in pairs, until wc
left Circle. Osgood and Maddren found a nest near Lake Marsh -lulv
5 regarding which a pair of these birds were very solicitous. It was
high in a spruce, and was empty except for a dead groimd s(iuirrel.
On Fifty-Mile River Jul}' 10 1 found a nest that was about 55 feet up
in a spruce and contained two downy young. Osgood shot the female,
which was in light plumage; the male, a melanistic bird, escaped.
Osgood shot a melanistic female at Lower Lebarge July 17, and I
found a pair — one light, the other dark — near Fort Selkirk July 25.
These had a nest that was 00 feet up in a sjjruce and contained two
young able to lly. I saw another nest with the l>irds about it on an
island near the White River July 31.

78. Archibuteo lagopus. Rough-legged Hawk.

On September 1, 0, 7, and 1» we saw at St. Michael large hawks
which from their proportions and llight were either l)uteos or archi-
buteos. Osgood shot one on Whale Island September S. but could
not retrieve it. Mr. Nelson's experience with the hawk family at St.
Miihael leads mo to refer these birds to this species.

7'.). Haliseetus albicilla. (iray Sea Eagle.

Lieutenant Satterlee, of the (hno/'ii, found a dead bi'-d of this
species at Unalaska October 5. which proved to l)e a young female.

NORTH AMKKICAN FAUNA.

[NO. 19.

Th«' wiiijjs had Immti rcinovod at tlu' caipal joint, hut the luinitflod
phmm^'t' the down Vft i)('i'sistinj>- on tlic ends of tlic secondaries —
romovcH all prol)ahilitv that it had )hmmi acaj^cd hird. This is the first
record of the occurrence of this species in western North America,
althouffh it is coninion in Japan and occurs in Kamchatka and occa-
sionally on the Commander Islands.

80. Haliseetus leucocephalus alascanus. Northern Raid Eai^le.

We found this hird connnon alonjf the Inside I'assa<jfe, especially
near Wrangell Narrows, and from the steamer I noticed three occupied
nests. We visited one which was high in a gigantic dead cedar on a
small island near Hocade(|uadra. Broken shells at the foot of the tree
made it probahle that the nest centained yoiuig. Tlu- female parent
was secured hv Maddren. On the flats of C'hilkat Inlet June 1 I saw
28 eagles feeding. Here I found another occupied nest at least 100
feet up ill a living spruce (it was so high that heavy charges of No. 4
shot did tlie hird no harm). A man passing l»y shot the male with a
rifle. The nexf day 1 saw the female again on the nest. In the intcMMor
this ])ird is much I'arei-, though I saw oiu> at Log Cabin June 20, and
another at Bennett June l!>. We saw the birds occasionally about the
lakes (I found a deserted nest on Lake Marsh), and once or twice
aU)ngthe river, the last being observed near the White River July 31.

81. Falco rusticolus. (iray Cyrfalcon.

A female was caught in a steel trap set on a post at St. Michael
September 21. It- stomach contained feathers. The irides were
vandj'ke brown; tip of liill and nails, black; tarsi, toes, cere, gape,
and rest of bill, pearl gmy, the bill changing to pearl blue on maxilla
near commissure.

82. Falco peregrinus anatum, Duck Ilawk.

At Fort Selkirk th(> character of the Yukon Valley changes, and
the high, sandy bhiH'.s which ha\e l)een constantly visible on o.ie bank
or the other are freciuently replaced by rocky clili's of varying height.
Flying about oni^ of these clitt's near Stewart River July HI was the
first duck hawk we tioted. Fnmi that ])()int to the Yukon Flats, a
few miles above Cli'cle. a day sc'ldom j)assed without our seeing or
hearing them, and from Camp Davidson to Circle 1 think there was
at lea.st on(i breeding pair ev(>rv 1<» miles. We .-^aw a numlx'r of their
nests on shelves on the cliils. but at this time, the first half of August,
the young had flown.

Osgood secured a young female August ."> on the cliH' known as
'Old Woman,' and an uduU female .\ugusl 7 near the Tahkandik River,
and shot several others which he failed to bag. I took a young male
from a family on 'Castle Rock' .Vugust T). We found tht't those taken

[NO. 19.

(XT., 1900.)

lUHDS OK THE YUKON REGION.

uniufnccl

Diidiiries —

is the first

America,

and o('ca-

'specially
occupied
edar on ii
f the tree
parent
<' 1 I saw
i>ast 100
s (»f No. 4
ale n ith a
)e interior
K' i^o, and
al)out the
or twice
''hily 31,

lie

- Michael
des were
'1-0, ffape,
u maxilla

ig"o.s, and
y-n\ hank
?• height,
was the
Flats, a
Jeinjf or
icrc was
of their
Auj^ust,

lown as
cliivcr,
ig male
le taken

4^-

had been fcedinj^ on marsh hawks, Alaska jays, whitc-winj(cd ( ross-
Idlls, intermediate sparrows, and varied thrushes.

I saw two duck hawks near Nulato Aufjfust )H, and a tame younfj
bird .spent part of th»' rainy evcninjf of Aujj^ust 30 perched on the back
of a chair in the hotel at St. Michael. Tlu' cere and bill of the youn<^
male were frencii j,'ray, chanj^anjf to l>lack on tip of bill and alonj;
culmeii and cere above; tarsi and toes, i)ale, <frayish <freen: sole.s, tarsi
behind, and edj>es of .scutelhe in front, yellow; nails, black.

83. Falco peregrinus pealei. Peale Falcon.

One Hew around the (hfiri/i when we were some distance .south of
the .Vleutian Islands and out of sijfht of land October 7.

Si. Falco columbarius. Pij^eon Hawk.

We saw a pigeon hawk feeding on a lai'ge vole near C-harlie Creek
Augusts. Osgood took a young male at a point \'2 miles altove Clirde
August 13, and I saw one at the Aphooii mouth .Vugust 2S.

85. Falco columbarius richardsoRi. Richard.son Merlin.

At Circle August IS I .shot a vouiig female merlin which is inter-
mediate between coluiDlxd'iux and rIelKirdsotil. in general coloring
both above and below, it is between typical exam))les of the two
forms and approaches very closely a specimen of rlchnrdsfni! taken ))y
Captain Bendire at Walla Walla, Washington, December 3, 1S80, and
now in tht^ American Museum of Natural Hi.story. ]My bird has li^ht
spots t)n outer webs of primaries and six light bars on tail similar to
tho.se of rlcJiardaoni^ but the bars are narrowi'r and mor(> interrupted.
The crop and stonlach contained the remains of a red-l)acked mouse.
The irides were Vandyke l)rown; cere, greeni.sli-yellow; maxilla, slate
black at tip, changing to greenish-white toward cere and pale frcnch
graj' at conimi.ssure; mandiltle, pale dull greenish, changing to pale
freneli gr;iy 'oward tip and coinmis.sure; tarsi and toe.s, straw yellow,
the later iiii-lining toward sulphur yellow; nails, black. Mr. Cant-
well w' :i ^ 1' the 'Osprey"' of having xem Richardson's iiHirlin, but
does not .sUitc that h(> took specimens. These are the only records for
this birci in the Yukon Valley.

86. Falco sparverius. American Sjmrrow ITawk.

We .saw this species at Log Cal)iii .lune 14, Semenow Hills July 10
and ^0, near the Tatchun River .Inly 23. near Fort Selkirk July 26,
about 30 miles below Fort Selkirk July 2S, and, 1 think, at Circle
August If). \\'e took specimens on ,Fuly 10 and 2S. This species has
not previously been reported from along the Yukon.

'O.^incy, 111,:.'.'^, ().t.,1898.

^:^%

^ ^ .0. ^ C

IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)

1.0

I.I

1.25

» Hi

11,

|40

2.0

14 III 1.6

Photographic

Sciences
Corporation

23 WEST MAIN STREET

WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580

(7'6) 872-4503

N^ *>V^\

^r.

f^n

NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA.

[NO. 19.

[Pandion hnllaHm carol iiiem<!)<. Aiiu'i'icaii Osprey, While the
Htcaiiier wjus aiiohoird near Holy CroH.** Mission August 25, one of the
passenjfcrs, Mr. J. F. Burkinan, tired at, l)ut failed to get, a large
hawk which he was positive was this spei-ies. As Mr. Nelson records
it from the Lower Yukon, I see no reason to doubt Mr. iiurkniau's
identification. I

87. Asio aocipitrinas. Short-eared Owl.

We saw a short-eared owl Hying overhead at St. Michael on the
evening of SepteniDer 7, and I ttush(Hl one from some bushes on Whale
Island the next day. Soptemlwr it I set three steel traps near St.
Mi<'hael on poles in the tundm. One of them failed to catch anything,
but before Septemlier 25 the others yielded (t short-eared owls and the
nails of another. These l)irds had liecn feeding on mice and shrews.
Osgo(Hl shot a short-eared owl at Unahiska Octol)er .5. These sp(><^i-
mens avemge slightly tlorker, with the white of th«' face purer, than
fall birds from New Kngland.

88. Scotiaptex cinerea. (Jreat (Jm}' Owl.

From some low growth on a steej* hillside at Miles Canyon .July 11
we flushed a large gray owl that I am confident was this species. We
saw a mounted specimen in Dawson August 2 and I was told at
Circle that an owl answering the description of this siM'cies had been
killed there recently.

89. Nyctala tengmalmi richardsoni. Richardson Owl.

While lying awake under my mosijuito netting in a clearing at the
base of the Semenow Hills on the night of .Fuly 1!> 1 saw a small,
round-headed owl alight on the limb of a dead tree only a few feet
away. It flew lu'fore I could bi-ing my gun t«) bear, but I have no
doubt it was this species. Osgood took a young bird near Rink Rap-
ids .Tuly 22. T was told at Circle that a small owl was coi.wnon there,
and that one had been caught recently.

90. ? MegaBCopt aaio kenniootti. Kcnnicott Screech Owl.

A reddisli-l)rown owl, of the size and apjiearuaco of a screech owl,
was seen by Maddren and mysi>lf at Caribou C'rossingon the afternoon
of June 27. We were drawn from camp l»y its pev uliar noti>s, and
saw it fly from a poplar across an opening to u spruce thicket. Later
that day Osgood caught a glimpse of another, or pei'haps tin; same
bird, as it flew from the top of a small poplar.

91. Bubo virginianuB palleBcenB. WesU'rn lloi-ned Owl.

Owl peUets, some of them remarkably large, t-ontaining chiefly
bones of ral)bit.M, ground s(|uirrels, and red s(|iiirrel.s, were found in
great abmidance, especially at Caribou Crossing and on Windy Island,
Lake Tagish, but the most can^ful huntiiig l'aih>d t(» disclose the owls.

\\\
al
si

[NO. 19.

OCT., 1000.]

mUDH OF THK YUKON REGION.

While the

one of the

fet, H hirge

>ioii records

'iurknmn's

iiK'I on the
■« on Whale

'« near St.

anything,

wis and the

nd shrewn.
'Ii(>.s(> s|)(>(>i.
'"'••T, than

on July 11
I'ie.s. We
Hs told at
■< had l)een

"ig-iit the
V a small,
I few feet
' have no
link I{jip-
'on th(!i'e,

<'<vh owl,
i*"t«'rnoon
ott's, and
Lat(>r
the same

■ «'lii«'fly
ound ill
• Island,
K' owls.

On Fifty-Mile Kivei-, near Lake Marsh July 8, we heard the hoot-
ing of a horned owl; and at our camp at Lower Lebarge oiiO flew over,
about iiildnight July 1<>, and lit in the top of a spruec ju.st out of gun-
shot. I hurried after it ))ut merely succeeded in seeing the bird
swoop into the surrounding gloom.

At our camp near the Tatchun River July 22 one flew by and set-
tled for an instant not far ott"; and th(> next day Osgood saw three
extremely light-colored horned owlsueai'i)}'. We also heard the hoot-
ing of this species near the Yukon at the following phices: Near
Little Salmon River July 21, 20 mile,; below Fort Selkirk July 27,
20 miles l)elow the Sdwyn River July 2!», near the Tatondu River
August (), about 15 miles above Circle August 12, and opposite Circle
August 1+. In the last case the identification is not without doubt,
but the notes of the others were unmistaka))!*'.

[Sunua iihihi ctiparooh. American Hawk Owl. At Hennett, June
18-22, a bird with a peeidiarly weird cry flew altout tli«' difl's above
our camp eviu'v night. By a pi'ocess of elimination I have attributed
the .serenade to tliis specie's. ]

1»2. Ceryle alcyon. IJelted Kingfisiier.

This l)ird occurs about the Yukon lakes, l)ut in small numbers.
Osgood ,saw one at liemiett June 20; I heard one at Caril)ou Crossing
June 2!>, and saw anotlier on Lake lj«0)ai"ge Jidy 18.

We found kingflshers fairly common on Fifty-Mile Rivt r, and still
more common on Thirty-Mile River. As the elifls replaced the high
banks below Fort Selkirk kingfishers became fewer, and non«^ were
seen after August 4, when we were about 40 miles below Dawson.
Young aide, to fly were seen near Five-Finger Rupids .July 22.

93. Dryobates villosus leucomelas. Northern Hairy Woodpecker.

Osgood took a single hairy woodpecker on Fifty-Mile River a few
miles above IN'iles C/anyon July 10.

94. ? DryobateB villosus hyloscopns. Cabanis Woodpecker.

Near the Little Salmon River .luly 21 I took a young female that
corresponded in siz(» and plumage with some young of this subspecies.
It w ^s seated in tlu^ entrance to a cavity in a Iturnt spruce. This is
the first re«'or(l of the occurrence of this bird in the Yukon Basin.

96. Picoides arcticus. Arctic I hree-toed Woodpc'ckcr.

On July 1 I was attiacted by the loud cries of a young bird, and
traced the sound about 100 yards through a spruce grove on the bank
of Six-Mile River. The noise i)roct>eded from a full-fledged young
woodpecker of this species that had thrust its head out of the opening
to its house and kept up a continual screaming. With Osgood's assist-
ance, the nest was op«'ned luit oidy this young liird was found. The

li.ll

■'^ f

*1|

;
I

Si.

m
M

NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA.

[NO. 19.

entmnce was 5 feet 8 inches fi'oni the ground, on the lower side of a
living, slightly leaning spruce, and the cavity was 10 inches deep.
Osgood shot what we Itoth supposed was one of the parents, for it cer-
tainly came in answer to the cries of the young; yet this bird proved
to bo a typical adult male of /*. ainerlenniui ahwen.^ti^. We saw no
other woodiHX^kers there, except flickers.

!><]. Fiooides americanas alascensis. Alaska Threc-tocd Wotxlpecker.

Osgood found the remains of an Alaska three-toed woodiwcker at
Haines June I, and T shot a laying female near (ilacier June 1(>. In
the Yukon Valley we secured one on Six-Mile River; three on Fiftj'^-
Mile River above Miles Canyon July 10-11, two of them young
adults; two on the Lewes River between Hig Salmon and Little Salmon
rivers July ^0-21, and two at Circle, August l!>-20. The young have
whiter backs than the adults.

1)7. Sphyrapicus ruber. i?ed-breastcd Sapsucker.

I took an adult male at Skagway Ma}' 31, and heard what I suppose
was its mate.

98. Colaptes anratns Intens. Northern Flickei'.

We saw and heard flickers several times at (xlacier. One, which
Osgood flushed from a hole high in a dead pin(> .Fune 8, had yellow quills.
In the Yukon Valley this is by far the most conunon woodpecker.
We found it quitt^ regularly from Ijt)g Cabin to Circle, but, like most
Yukon birds, it was shy. At CarilK)u Crossing June 27 Osgood secured
a female and found her nest, containing 8 j'oung and 3 eggs, in a cavity
3 feet from the ground in a partly dead poplar. At Six-Mile River
we found a nest al)out (> feet from the ground, and at Lower Lebarge
July 17 I found 7 well-fledged young in a cavity about 5 feet from the
ground in a small dead tree in a burnt tract. July 25 I took a full-
grown young near Selkirk.

Adult flickers from Alaska ave.iige slightly darker tb:in fnfrns from
Canada and farther south, the wings, tail, and liars of upperparts
being sonu'what blacker, aad the light parts more olive and less buffy.
Three young — oiui from near Fort Selkirk, the others nestlings from
Lower Lebarge— show this difference in a marked degree, having the
wings, tail, and bars of upperparts deep Idack, and the ground color
above smoky olive, instead of burt"y olive as in /iifcm; they are even
darker than the young of dimitnx from Florida. But the slightness
of the difference shown by the adults, the small number of sjiecimens
from Alaska, and the possibility that the plumage of the thret> young
ma}'^ have l»een discolored by the burnt trees wlH>re they wei'e found —
though microscopic examination shows no sign of this — make their
separation as a subspecies inadvisable at present.

(HT.,1'J00.1

B1KD3 OF THE YUKON RKOION.

W). ChordeilesVirginianns. Nighthawk.

From Caribou CroHsing, whore 1 .shot two foiiiah\s tlune 27, until
aft(M' passiiiff the mouth of th»^ Tat<'hun River .luly 24, we met with
nighthawitH on numerous occasions. I took an adult male at White
Horse Rapids Juh' 11. These birds were very fat, as might l)e expected
from the abundance of fl^'ing insects. They are slightly darker than
virylnianm from the East.

ICH). Selagphorus rufus. Rufous Hununing)>ird.

We saw a rufous hummingbird on ' Eagle Island' at Hocadeqiiadra
May 28. At Glacier Osgood saw one June (>, and on .lune 10 I found
R nest with two slightly incubated eggs 3^ feet from the ground on
the })ranch of a small conifer near the falls of the river. I secured
the female, and also one of two males which 1 saw the same day in the
open country below Glacier. On Lake Heiniett we saw one opposite
West Arm June 24. Mr. George G. Cantwell has already added-
both this species and Chordeilen virgtnlanws to the Yukon avifauna.'

101. Sayomis saya yakonensis. Yukon Phcebe.
Sayonm saya yukoneunin Bishop, Auk, XVII, 115, April, ISKX).

Osgood took the type specimen of this j)h(ebe on the heights above
Glacier June 8, and T saw one on tlie mountainside sit Bennett June 17.
We next met the bird about some cliffs below Fort Selkirk .July 26, and
aftc^r tills saw family parties almost daily. Near Stewart River July
81, we saw a pair about their nest on the face of a dift' a few feet
above the water. After passing Charlie Creek August 10, we saw
no more until we reached Circle, where I killed a young one August
19. Full-grown young were taken July 30. The note is harsh, some-
what resembling that of C(»iti>piix rlchtir(honi\ but louder and shriller.
We found the l)irds only altout the cliffs, or the steep, grass-grown
banks of the Yukon, a favorite perch being rocks along the shore.
Those we met in August seemed to ))e migrating up the river.

102. ContopuB borealis. Olivc^sided Flycatcher.

At Six-Mile River 1 took a pair July 1, the female :)f which had
Knished laying. A bird which I heard near Hennett .lune 20, and a
large flycatcher which I shot, but could not rind, at Caribou Crossing
June 25, I believe were this species.

103. ContopuB riohardsoni saturatuB. Alaska Wood Pewee.
CinilojiuK rich(tr(lKi))ii .•oiliirittiiK Hislii)]), Auk, XVII, 11(1, April, MtOO.

Osgood took a wood pewee at Skagway May 30, and I two males at
Haines June 2. In the Yukon Valley, frcmi Windy Island, Lake
Tugish, where I took a u\',\\o June 30, initil we passtnl Little Salmon
River July 21, we often heard this bird's *pee-ah ' ctuning from the

t :i

III

'Osprey, III, 25, Oct., IHitM.

;

-
i

1 :;

t :

NORTH AMKKICAN FAUNA.

[NO. 19.

woodi'd banks. Wo next .saw the bird al)out 12 mile. *al)ovc> Circle,
where 1 took a pair Augu.st 14. It wa.s more common at Mile,s Can-
yon than elsewhere on the Yukon, and here on July ii '^ found an
uniini.shed nest (which resembled that of (,'. richariUoni) in the fork
of a half-dead poplar al)out 10 feet from the ground. No form of
wood powee ha,s previously been recorded from the Yukon.

104. Er.pidonaz trailli alnornm. Alder Flycatcher.

We first ^ound this species July 26 at Fort Selkirk, where the Pelly
River, from the Rocky Mountains, joining the Lewes, forms the
Yukon, and hardly lost it again until we reached Circle; later I heard
one 15 miles below Fort Yukon on August 21. Wherever wo landed
wo found this or the Hammond flycatcher in tho alders and willows.
Full-grown young in juvenile plumage were bikcn on August 5. The
adults are apparently typical <///*'-»/'*////, having the greener upperparts,
more conspicuous wing bars, and slK)rter bill of this form.

105. Empidonaz hammondi. Hammond Flycatcher.

We saw several Haimuond flycatchcn-s at Skagway, and collcct*^d
three. I took one at Glacier Juno 8, and another on a hill above
Caribou Cro.ssing June 26. After this we did not again meet with
the bird until about 15 miles l)elow Solwyn River, where 0.sgood shot
a young one July 29. From that point to Chai'lie Creek it was almost
equally conmion with Empidonax t. alnorum, frequenting tho same
localities; l)ut after passing Charlie Creek, August 9, wo .saw no more
of it. Tho young secured were moiling. The male collected at
Carilx>u Crosfung is unusually pale for IkiiiiiikukJI, but this is doubtless
tho result of wear, as the same thing is shown in Coiitopm mtunUiUi
and Hyloclclda almoi. •

106. Pica pica hndsonica. American Magpie.

Maddren saw a pair at Caribou Crossing .lime 26, and Osgood found
their deserted nest. At Fort Selkirk July 26 I took two young —
male and female — wh ich had just a.ssumed first winter plumage. Tiuy
were feeding about the houses of the town. 1 was told that another
young bird had been seen there recently.

107. Cyanooitta stelleri. Steller tJay.

Osgood found tho remains of a Steller jay in the woods at Haines
June 1.

108. Perisoreas oanadensis fumifrons. Alaska Jay.

We first met this bird at Log Cabin, >oted it also at Bennett and
Ca)'ibou Crossing, and found it common from Lake Marsh to Circle,
generally in families. lietwocn White River and Circle it was less
common than farther up the Yukon. 1 saw one 15 miles above Fort

" 1

[NO. 19.

0<T.,lUtll).J

BIRDS OF THK YUKON KKdlON.

K)vo Circle,
Miles Caii-
^ found an
in tlie fork
No form of

re the Pelly
, forms the
iter I heard
r we hmded
,nd willows,
[list 5. The
upperpurts,

id collected
hill a})ove
1 meet with
3sjrood shot
t was almost
ig the same
aw no more
collected at
is douhtless
u« mturattus

sgood found
ivo young —
lagc. Tiny
hat another

:) at Haines

ionnett and

li to Circle,
it was less
above Fort

Yukon, heard .several at Jlendi'icks Station August 2i>, and saw one at
St. Michael September IH.

Adults had complet<Hl the summer molt by July 20; the young were
in full juvenile plumage on June 20, and in tir.st wint«u" plumage on
August 20. The molt is complete in tlu* adults, while in the young
the wings and tail remain unchanged.

The adults collected are all intermediate )>etwe(>M cn/tifnUK iind
fnmifrom; each has a black orl)ital ring, but this is broader in those
from Circle. All those in juvenile plumage have the head dull plum-
beous, like the l)ack, as mfuiitifrom.

lOiK Corvus corax principaliB. Northern Kaven.

Of all the ))irds we met the raven occurred mo.st regularly. On
our entire trip down the Yukon hardly a day |)assed without our .see-
ing tue birds in twos and threes. We saw a few at Wrangell, found
them more common at Wrangell Narrows, saw .several at Skagway,
and noticed the wing of one at (ilacier. A few were noted ai-ro.ss
White Pass at Middle Luke and they were iibundant at Log Cal)in.
A flock of at least 200 was observed at the latter place June 20, and
another of 50 at Benniitt two days later. During Sej)teml»er at St.
Michael we .saw them frecjuently, but never in large lumibers. At
Unalaska they were a))undant and remarkably tame.

An adult taken on June 20 is in full molt; a young taken July 22
is in juvenile plumage; on one taken August 2;{ the Itody feathers of
the first winter plumage have replaced most of the juvenile, iiid the
change is complete in one taken September I*.

f rW/vvw unicricanux. American Crow. I was told l»y one of the
prospectors whom 1 met on a Yukon steamer that the crow, as well as
the northern mven. occurs at the heail waters of the Porcupine.]

110. Corvus caarinus. Northwest Crow.

Common on 'Eagle Island' at liocade(|uadra, where Osgood found
a Hnished but empty nest May 28. Crows were very common near
Vancouver June 20, l>ut we saw none after leaving Boiadctjuadra.

111. Scolecophagus carolinus. liu.sty Blackbird.

Two blackliirds which 1 saw at Log Cal)in .lune ir» were ju'obably
this species, and 1 was told that rusty blackbirds had been abundant
there a few days i)efore our visit.

Osgood took a .specimen near Fort Yukon August 21, and 1 saw a
small Hock at the Aphoon mouth August 2.s. I was informed that
these birds ])reed in large numbers on the tundra by the Kuskokwim
and at the head of the Porcupine.

\('o(rot/i mutates venpertlmis iiiontanxn. Western Evening (irosbeak.
A prospector told me that a gi'osbeak, whose descriijtion an.^wered
4494— No. 19 1>

1;|I

NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA.

(KO. 1».

) R

that of this sijecics, wa« common on the Copper Uivcr. He ausurcd
me it was not the pine grosbeak, which ho know well.]

[Pinicol/i enticleator ahmceimH. Alaska Pine Grosbeak. A re«l bird
with dark wings — ceitainly not a crossl)ill — which I saw at Ijake Marsh
July 8 was probably a pine grosl)eak, but we did not meet with any
others during our trip. I was told this bird occurs along the Porcu-
pine.]

112. Loxia cnrvirostra minor. Ued Orossbill.

Osgood took a red cross})lll and saw another at Unalaska October 5.
We did not take any along the Yukon, but 1 feel positive that a red
male crossbill which I shot at Lake Lebarge July 1(5, but could not
find, belonged to this species.

lis. Loxia leucoptera. White-winged Crossbill.

Crossbills in flocks of from half a dozen to one hundred individuals
were often seen from Lower Le))arge to Charlie Village July IG to
August 11. Most of these doiks were probal)ly Umcopteni^ and some
certainly' were. They were exceedingly restless, and the only ones
taken (besides those found in the crop of a duck hawk), were three
young at Camp Davidson August 5-().

114. Leuoosticte griseonacha. Aleutian Leucostictc.

We saw a number of Aleutian leucostictes on St. George October 3.
At Unalaska I .«iw a flock of about tweiity and another of two young
October 5, and secured an adult and oni' of the young. The latter is
in juvenile plumage, feathers of the first winter appearing only ou the
sides of the chest.

115. Leuoosticte tephroootis littoralis. Hepburit Leucosticte.

We found this bird only at White Pass Summit, where Osgood took
two males and I one female .June 13. It is doubtless this species of
Leuamticte to which Cautwell refers in his pajier ou the 'Birds of the
Yukon Trail."

110. Acanthis homemaimi exilipes. Iloary Ucdpoll.

I secured two young from a flock aljout 15 miles above Circle
August 13, and Osgood one from a flock at Circle August l!>. 1 saw
several at the Aphoon mouth August 27, and we found them rather
common in small flocks 'it St. Michael during Scptenil)er. All taken
were young and were molting from juvenile to first winter plumage.

117. Acanthis linaria. Redpoll.

We saw several, usually in pairs and very shy, at Hennctt Juno 17.
One stopped for an instant on a bush close to our tent. Near Charlie
Village 1 saw a male in high plumage August 11.

'Ospn-y, III, 26, Oct.. 1898.

(NO. 19.

He aasured

A I'ctl bird
Lake Mai\sh
ect with any
r the Porcu-

a October 5.

e that a red

it fould not

1 individuals
J July 16 to
■a, and some
le only ones
, were three

:e October 3.
f two young
The latter is
f only ou the

te.

Osgood took
lis species of
Birds of the

ibove Circle

it 1!». 1 saw

them rather

All taken

ier plumage.

ett Juno 17.
^ear Charlie

OCT.,1»00.1

BIRUH OF THE YUKON REGION.

118. SpinuB pinns. Pine Siskin.

A very n^stless family of this species was seen on Windy Island,
Lake Tagish, Jun«' -M), and Osgood secured one. 1 .saw one at Lower
Lebarge July lis, and took one from a small Hock near the Selwyn
River July 'J!>, and Osgood one from a large ttock near Sixty-Mile
Creek July 31. We .saw a large flock near Dawson August 1, a few
near Forty-Mile Creek August 4, and 0.sgood saw one 1.5 miles above
Circle August lii. Flocks of either this l»ird or redpolls were heard
near the Tatondu River and Charlie Ci'cek Aagust 7-8. I find uo
former record of this species for the Yukon Valley.

IISJ. Passerina nivalis. Snowflake.

At White Pass Summit I shot a female June 12 that had an old
fmcture of the wing, which had healed in such a maniuu' as to make
long flight impossibl I was informed snowflakes had be(>n very
abundant there earlier in the 3'ear. At St. Michael I saw two Septem-
bei' 16, and a flock of al)out twenty September 19. Osgood took one
from a small flock September 25, and I three on September 28.

Snowflakes were common on St. George October 3, but the two
young taken ( i and 9 ) are indistinguishal)le from those from St.
Michael, and have bills smaller than the young of tuwwsendi.

120. Calcarius lapponicas alascensis. Alaska Longspui'.

I saw seveml small flocks at the Aphoon mouth August 27, and
secured one specimen. A few were found at St. Michael the last of
August, and large flocks there Septemlter 1-2. After that several
were seen almost every day until September 22, when the last were
taken. Osgood saw several at St. George October 3, and I saw one
at Unalaska October 5.

121. Ammodramus sandwichensis. Sandwich Sparrow.

A few were .seen at Unahiska October 5-6, and two young secuivd.

122. Ammodramas sandwichensis alaudinus. Western Savanna
Sparrow.

I saw several .savanna s])arrows on the marshes of C/hilkat Inlet
June 1, and we took one at Haines, one at Skagway, and two at
Glacier. Several pairs were found on the marshes near Log Cal)in,
a few at Caribou Crossing, and one pair on an island in Lake Tagish.
They were fairly common about Lake Marsh, and Osgood found a set
of four eggs there, securing the female July 5. After leaving Luke
Marsh these sparrows were not seen again until we reached the Alaska
l)oundary, when 1 took a young August 5. Osgood took a young
specimen from a flock near Charlie Village August 10, and young
were common at Circle August 14-19. 1 saw a number at the
Aphoon mouth August 27-28, and we found a few at St. Michael up
to September 11.

Hi \

'r i

NOKTU AMERICAN FAUNA.

[NO. 10.

ti 1*'

1 ;

;

i 1

Hrt'tHliiijf spociiiu'iiH from the Yukon liiko ivjfioii arc iiidi.stinguiwh-
iihlc in sizo luid color h\m\<il(iii(lliii(x from North Dakota. Those from
Haines and (rlacier are larjjer in l>ill and other measurements, slightly
darker, and more butly, but evidently belong to the same form. A
male taken at Skajjfway May 81 is identieal in eolor with a female
mvdiiiia t4iken in (./onneetieut aliout the same date, but in measure-
ments interm«>diate between f<(tiuhiuchr)}«!x and <i/<nt<f/niM, Young
birds from St. Miehael and the Yukon below Cami) Davidson reseni-
l)le closely the young of mt'tnuiH in coloring, and have bills slightly
shorter and deeper than adult olaadhnm from the Yukon lakes, but
are larger and have longer wings and tails than the latter.

128. Zonotrichia leucophrys gambeli.' Intermediate Sparrow.

Descending from the bleak, snow-covered rocks of White Pass, wo
reached at Portage .fune 14 a country of a more luxuriant vegetation.
Here the intermediate sparrow appeared, and it stayed with us con-
stantly until we left tJirde, August 20. At Fort Gilibon August 23
I saw one adult and one young. With the exception of the bank
swallow, this is the most abundant species inhabiting the Yukon Btisin.

At Log Cabin June 20 I took a laying female; on Windy Island
June HO Osgood took a young, able to tly, and at Lower Lebarge I
shot one molting into first winter plumage. We found young
abundant in this plumage at Circle August 15-20, but saw no adults.
This species has two distinct songs. That most often heard is a very
mediocre performance, but the other, which I heard in its full p<;rfec-
tion onl}' on a hill at Caribou Crossing June 2G, and about 2 a. m. on
Fifty-Mile River July S>, possesses all the sweetness and clearness of
the song of Z. tdh'u'olliH. By July 15 the song season was practically
over, but I heard one bird singing as lat(i as August 10.

124. Zonotrichia coronata. Golden-crowned Sparrow.

Osgood found the golden-crowned sparrow on the heights above
Glacier rFune 5. It was common at White Pass summit June 11-14,
and was the oidy bird we saw along the trail to Portage June 14. We
thought we heard it singing at Log Cabin. The song does not equal
those of others of the genus. Osgood found an almost finished nest
in a conifer at Summit Lake June 12. It was composed of sticks and
moss, lined with grass, and placed about 2^ feet from the ground.
The next day I shot a female that contained an egg ready for the shell.

125. Spizella monticola ochracea. Western Tree Sparrow.

At Haines I took a female June 2. At Caribou Crossing we took
two pairs .fune 29, one of them with a nest containing three fresh ^^g'i.
The nest was buried in the moss at the base of a clump of willows in

' ThiH Ih tlui HiMjcicH formerly known as Zonotrichui leucoj)liryn intermedia Kidgway.
8W Uidgway, Auk, XVI, 36-37, 1899.

' ■■v^ Jfc . -

{X,T.,I«)0.]

BIRDS op xnE YITKON REOION.

Rf)

ii willow swittiip near the liik*>, tiiid it was r()iii|K).s('(l()f liii<>, dry grasses,
liiM^d with feathtTH, covcri'd oxtcriialiv with a thick coatiiifif of liviii}^
moHH. Tiic off^s, which avcrajfc (>,hO |»y u.57 inches, arc pale pea <jreen.
heavily mottled over the iMitire surface with reddish fawn color. At
Lake Marsh .July H I took an adult feinah;, and 15 miles above Circle
August 8 a young bird molting from the stT-ipcd juvenile into the fidl
plumage. The species was alumdant at Circle, and a ruunl)er were
seen on an island 15 miles alM)ve Fort Yukon August 21. I saw one
at tho Aphoon mouth August 27, and noticed seven during Se])tenilier
at St. Michael, taking the last S«'pteml»er 21.

12«». Spizella socialis arizonse. Westei-n Chijiping Spairow.

We found this species almost daily from LogCal>in to Dawson, or
between Juno 16 and August 1. In point of numbers it follows the
intermediate sparrow ar;l the slate-coloi-ed junco. It was last o))served
al)Out 10 miles below Dawson August 8, but the range of the species
may extend much farther north, as a large Hock seen near the Selwyn
Rivei" July 2i> showed that the fall migration had begun.

We found a nest with four eggs at Lak(» Bennett June 24, large
young in a ni'st on Lake Tagish June 30. Young able to Hy were met
with at Lake Marsh July 5, and a s(>t of three «'ggs on Thirty-Mile
River July 18. The nests were in small spruces, onc^ -i inches and
another about 3 feet from the ground.

Yukon chipping sparrows, females especially, average darker than
typical nr!zi»i(V, but coincide in measurements. Turnei' reports this
species from Fort Yukon.'

127. Junco hyemalis. Slate-colored Junco.

From Log Cabin to Circle this bird occui-s everywhere, contest-
ing with the intermediate sparrow for supremacy in numbers. Two
broods are, I think, regularly reared. Females taken at Log Cabin
and Bennett had finished laying. On Windy Island .Iiuie 3(1 1 shot
a young bird al)le to fly, and on the east shore of Ijake Tagish
the following day saw one pair building a nest and another fi>eding
young. Maddi'on found a nest with four fresh (>ggs at Lake Marsh
July 4, Osgood one with three fnvsh eggs at Lower Lebarge Jul}' !♦»,
and I one with five young on Thirty-Mile Hiver July 18, and another
with four just hatched young near the Tatchun River July 23. Ii}-
.Iidy 20 young in sti'iped plumage were coimuon, and August 2 I took
one near Dawson molting into first winter plumage. Tho slate-colored
juiu'o, the intermediate s[)arrow, and the western chipping sparrow
were most common about brush heaps left l)y lumbermen, weed-grown
clearings resulting from forest fires, and cal)ins of the towns. Every
nest found was sunk in the ground to the rim in an open place

'(.\)iitril.. Nat. Hist. Ala.skii, 174, 1SH(}.

II <■

i .1

NORTH AMEBirAN FAUNA.

[NO. 19.

undor II we«'d or ii tuMMix^k of gnw.s. One contiiiiKHl u few dark hairs
besides the usiuil Hue ^rtisM liiiiii);. Twenty luliiitu ditTcM* from eustern
Muniiner Hpe(;iiiiuiis of hijemalltt only in lmvin)ir in ))otli t^uxcs hills avcr-
agin^r 0.02 in(^ii longer (measured from the no.stril).

128. Junoo hyemalii oregonns. Oregon .Iiinco.

Toleml)iy common at Skagway and more .so at Haine.«». At Skagway
I took a female and four fresh eggs May 31. The nest, of dried grass
lined with short, white hairs, was sunk in the ground and concealed by
dead weeds under a birch only about oO feet al>ove the water of Lynn
Canal.

120. Jnnco hysmalis connectens. Shufeldt Junco.

Maddren took •. female at Glacier June 7, a male was taken near
White Pass City June J», and Maddren saw seveml near there that
Aay. I took a male below Glacier June 10, and .saw and heard a
numlicr singing .. few hundred feet above White Pass C'ity, where the
spruce woods gave place to more open country. Theii' .song is quite
distinct from that of onf/otnifi. This is a new record for Alaska.

180. Helospiza melodia raflna. Sooty Song Sparrow.

We heard .seveml singing at Skagway May 31, and Osgood saw
some at Haines June 2. At Haines I took a male June 1, and a pair,
the female of which had finished laying, June 2.

131. Molospiza cinerea. Aleutian Song Sparrow.

Abundant at Unalaska, October 5-7, freijuenting the roofs of ))uild-
ings, luml)er piles, wharves, beaches, and weeds of the level countr}'
and hillsides. The males were singing con.stantly, their song having
the usual .song sparrow character, l)ut not the usual strength or Iwauty.

132. Helospiza lincolni. Lincoln Sparrow.

At Log Cal)in June 1.5 we saw what was apparently a Lincoln
sparrow. Osgood took a female and a set of H\'e fresh eggs near
Lake Marsh July 5, I another female on the w(>st shore July 8, and
we heard seveml singing near the lake. The nest found was composed
of coarse grass lined with tine, and was in a tuft of grass in a swamp,
about 4 inches above the water. We agiiin met this si«^cies at
Lower Lebargc, near Fort Selkirk, near the White River, at Camp
David.son, at Charlie Village, 15 miles above Circle, and at Circle,
where one was taken August IJ). July 27 a full-grown young was
taken, and August 12 one that had almost finished molting into win-
ter plumage.

133. Helospiza lincolni striata. Forbush Sparrow.

A Lincoln sparrow which 0.sgood saw at Haines June I should be
referred to the northwestern subspecies.

OCT., won.]

BIRDS OF THK YITKON RKOION.

134. Pauerella iliaoa. Fox Sixiri-ow.

A wave of wiwrrows oci urcd ut Circle AufjUHt 1J> just iiftor a frosty
night, and among other Hjx'cics I saw a single fox sparrow. TIk* liird
was too close to leave identification doubtful.

135. Pauerella iliaoa townsendi.' Town.send Fox Spnrrov .

Osgood .saw one at Skagway, and we noticed several at (ii-icier whit-h
wore exceedingly shy. Osgood collected two at (tIhi '( r .]wu\ S-it, one
of which wa.s too badly shot to preserve; the ou;cr Mr. llidgwuy
pronounc < mewhat nearer this form than minccten^.

V6(i. Petroohelidon lanifrons. ClifF Swallow.

This species was common at Log Cabin June l.") and 20. At Cari-
bou Crossing we .saw a few June 2!>, probably members of th(^ .small
colony breeding on the cliffs of an island in Lake Tagish July 1. We
next .saw cliff swallows near the Hootalinqua lliver .luly 1!». and frcm
this point to a few miles above Dawson, Augu.st 1, we fre(|uently met
with colonics of varying size, the large.st being near White River.
Their nests were attached to cliffs Ixtrdering the river, except at Fort
Selkirk, where they were breeding under the eaves of liou.ses. Full-
fledged A'oung were taken July 25, and 1 think the al)sence of this spe-
cies Indow Daw.son was due to their having already migrated. I was
told that l)oth clifl' and bank swallows were exceedingly abundant
along the Porcupine.

137. Hirundo erythrogastra unalaschkensis.' Alaska Swallow.

A few were flying over the marshes of Chilkat Inlet June 1; 1 heard
that they were conunon at White Pa.ss (^ity June }t, and we saw two
about the buildings of White Pass Summit flune 10. At Log Cabin
they were conunon on June 14, 15, and 20, and on the last daU' I took
a male. A few were noticed at Bennett June l!>-21. I refer all .seei;
to this 8ub.species, for all had remarkably long tails. The single
specimen taken had a length of 7.5M> inches, wing 4. ((8 inches, tail 4.10
inches, fork of tail 2.;^H inches. The forehead, lower wing-coverts,
and aMomen are more highly colored than eastern .>^"ins of I£ eri/t/uv-
gastra, and the shafts of the long tail feathers are whitish.

138. Tachycineta bicolor. Tree Swallow.

I saw several at Skagway May 31 and June 3, and over the Chilkat
marshes June 1. We saw others near Caribou Crossing June 2!); one
July 6 and a pair July 7 at Lake Marsh; and several at Miles Canyon
July 11. A few miles above Fort Selkirk July 25 I .saw .several enter-
ing and leaving an old flicker hole in a dead spruce.

'Auk, XVII, 30, Jan., 1900.

"Kept. Fur-Seal JiivoHtifrntioiiH, 189(V-97, pt. 8, 4'22, 18$>9.

ip^K— R-

NORTH AMERICAN PAITNA.

(no. 19.

131>. Tachycineta thalassina. Violot-jfrocii Swallow.

Mr. Caiitw'jll ' has already added this species to the ILst of ))ird8 known
to inhal)lt the Yukon Valley. We saw a single male among flocks of
bank swallows flying ovei- Fifty-Mile River above Miles Canyon July
11 and another between White Horse Rjipids and Lake Lobargo. On
July IS 1 took a male from several that we saw near Hootalinqua,
and at the Somenow Hills July 20 Osgood secured a female, finding
her nest with four young in a crevice in the cliffs. Maddren shot a
young July 28. After this we fre(iuently saw colonies of from si,\
to ten birds of this s|XK'ies, and one near White Itivei* that niust have
contained over tifty.

They were nesting aliout the cliffs as a rule, l)ut several times we
saw them enter holes in banks similar to those of CUvlcola, ripart'a,
while at Fort Selkirk they were nesting in the interstices between the
logs of the cabins. We often met with small colonies until within 15
miles of Cirde, out after August 5 they kept sojilgb about the cliffs
that identification was po.ssible only by their characteristic twitter.
The two adult males have green rumps.

14r(). Clivicola riparia. Bank swallow.

We found a small coloriv nesting at the northern end of Lake
Tagish July 1, and a larger one on the west shore of Lake Marsh Jul3^
7, but we were entirely unprepared for the great abundance of this
species on Fifty-Mile River above Miles Canyon. Th*"-.- almost every
bunk was honeycombed with their holes. Along the re.-.», of the Yukon
as far as Circle bank swallows were common and often a))undant, but
after August I their fornuu" presence was generally manifested onl}'
l»y the deserted holes. A.t Circle 1 saw about thirty August 17, aiid
a single bird on the following day. Kggs advanced in incubation
were found Jidy 7, and by the 22d the young were flying, and all
acting as if preparing to migrate. As it grew dusk on the evening
of August U we watched a large Hock which circled over the Yukon,
rising higliei- with each revolution, and at last disappc^ared toward
some mountains due south.

141. Ampelis garrulus. Bohemian Waxwing.

We saw several on Six-Mile Hiver .luly 1, two at Lake Marsh Jvdy
7, one on Fifty-Mile Ri\er July 10. two pairs (one of which was
secured) at Miles Canyon July 11, one at Lowei- Lcbarge July 16, two
about a mile apart on Thirty-Mile River Jidy 18, and four near the
Selwyn River July 28. We took two adults and three young froiu a
flock of twenty about 1.5 miles below the Selwyn .luly 21>, and four
from a similiar flock near Sixty-Mile Creek July ;{1. We .saw them
again at the Chandindu River August 4, Camp Davidson August .5,

'OHprey, 111, 25, <)<l., 1S!(«.

lW\

OCT., 1900.]

BIRDS OF THE YUKON REGION.

50 mile.s ubovc CMirlo AiigiiHt 11, and 15 miles lower Aujifu.st 12.
The female taken July U, which lacked the wax tips on the second-
arie.s, contained an ogg ready for the shell. The young re.seinhle tho.se
of A. cedrorum^ but are grayer, have less white on the ahdomcn, no
pale streaking above, and have the wings, t^iil, and lower tail-
coverts like adult ffarndux. They lack the cinnamon suffusion of the
head of the adult, have only a few l)lack featheis on the throat, a
much shorter crest, the wax-like tips of the .secondaries pea<'h-)»lossom
pink instead of scarlet, and the lower tail-coverts paler. A still
younger bird than the two described is ob.scurely streaked witii whitish
both on back and lower parts. On one of the young the wa.\ tips are
very .small.

In habits and notes the Rohemian waxwing closely resembles the
common cedar waxwing. Two males that we noticed while descending
Thirty-Mile River were perched on the topmost sprays of tiiil spruces,
uttering a lisping whi.stle at fretjuent intervals. One of them flew
after a pa.ssing insect in the manner of a flycatcher. Flock.s were
easih' approached, and when one bird was shot the rest would scatter,
and each would alight on the top branch of some spruce and utter a
characteristic call note. This not<% which we often heard from pass-
ing flocks, was similar to the whi.stle just mentioned. The birds that
we collected had been feeding o?i the purple l)erries of .some uniden-
tified plant.

142. Helminthophila celata. Orange-crowned Warbler.

Osgood took an adult male at Carilwu Cro,ssing June 20: I a female
and two young 20 miles below Fort Selkirk .fuly 27, and a young near
Dawson August 2. Osgood secured an adult and one young at Camp
Davidson August 5 and (5, and I .saw one ycmng 15 miles above Fort
Yukon Augusf 21. All taken were in alder.-* or willows close to the
water.

14". Helminthophila celata lutescens. Lutescent Warbler.
Cormuon at Haines, where we took live June 1 and 2. >

144. Helminthophila peregrina. Tcnne.s.see Warbler.

Found only at Caribou Ci'ossing, where I heard four males singing
and secured three of them June 25 and 27. They were in compara-
tively open swamps of willows and low spruces.

145. Dendroioa SBstiva rubiginosa.' Alaska Yellow Warbler.

1 am positive 1 often heard the .song of this species at Bennett June
17-22. I took an adult male at Caribou Crossing June 27, anJ think
I heard the .song about Lake Marsh. An adult female wa-v caken by

'.\nk, \IV, 7tl, 123, 1897.

! I

NORTH AMEBICAN FAUNA.

[NO. 19.

Osgood near the Nordcnskiold River July 22, and family parties were
often found in the alders and willow thickets between the Pelly River
and Circle. I took a young from ii small Hock 15 miles above Fort
Yukon August 21, saw one at the Aphoon mouth August 28, and a few
I thought this species at Hendricks Station August 25. Birds from
the Yukon Valley do not differ from those of the Alaska coast. A
young female is duller aljovo and more huffy telow than the young
female of I), imtiva.

146. Dendroica coronata hooveri.' Hoover Warblor.

We foiuid Hoover warblers common at Skagway, Glacier, Log
Cabin, and Carilwu Crossing, and also noted them at Haines, Bennett,
Lake Tagish, Miles Canyon, White River, Sixty-Mile Creek, and 12
miles above Circle. At Skagway May 31 they were still in flocks,
but at Glacier June 4—10 they seemed to bo mated and settled for the
summer. At Log Cabin we foiuid a flock June 15, but five days later
those still remaining thero were beginning to neat. A small flock seen
on an island near Sixty-Mile Creek August I showed that the return
mignition had Ijegun. I took a young in striped plumage August 1.
Adult males average paler l>elow than typical D. cnrmmta^ the black
markings l)eing naiTowcr, thus giving an ett'ect of broad longitudinal
markings rather than black clouding on the chest. Eight specimens
of both sexes average slightly larger in length of wing and tail than
the corresi>t)nding sexes from ea.stern and central United States. In
six males, the ex|X)sed culmen avei'agesO.02 inch longer than in males
from Connectit^ut, ))ut the l)ill from nostril averages the same, as do
both measurements in females. In juvenile plumage hooveri is darker
than coronata, the black markings are broader and blacker, both
above and b«>low, and the brownish edgings to the feathers greatly
restricted— entirely wanting on the lower parts and middle back.

147. Dendroica striata. Black-poll Warbler.

At Log Cabin .June 15 this species was common, but on my return
June 20 I saw only one pair — which I secured— and one other male.
July 5 1 i. ./ok a male at Lake Marsh. Two birds taken at Caribou
Crossing ai'c somewhat .smaller than avenige specimens from Dakota
and Connecticut.

148. Dendroica townsendi. Townsend Warl)ler.

Osgood took a male at Skagway May 31. A., (rhu-ier it was tolera-
bly conunon in the dense wocds of spruce and flr, and imquestionably
nesting; altogether we noticed about twenty individuals during our
stay. Osgood took an adult at the southern end of Lake Marsh .July
1, and I an adult female and young female on the west shore of Lake

'Bull. C'ooiier Oriiitli. Cliil), I, 32, 189fl.

[NO. 19.

arties were
*elly River
ibove Fort
, and a few
Hirds from
coast. A
tbo young

acier, Log
s, Bennett,
ek, and 12

in flocks,
led foi- the

days later

flock seen
the return
August 1.

the black
>n;,»'itudinal
specunens

tail than
states. In
m in males

OCT., 1900.]

BIRDS OF THE YUKON REGION.

iinie, as do
/ is darker
ker, l)oth
rs greatly
back.

my return
:^her male,
it Caribou
in Dakota

ras tolora-
38tionably
Liring our
arsh July
3 of Lake

Lebargc July 14. The juvenile plumage ditt'ers from that of /). lunns
only in being sliglitly less brown on crown and back. This is a new
species for the Yulioii Valley.

14!). Seiurus noveboracensis notabilis. Grinnoll Water Thrush.

The first sound that I heard on tlie morning of August 1, when we
were on a small island about 10 miles })elow Sixty-Mile Creek, was the
unmistakable alarm note of the water thrush. This was the first time
we had met with this species, and before starting that morning on our
dail}^ Yukon drift, Osgood and I each secured a young l)ird. Near
Forty-Mile Creek, Tatondu River, and Charlie Creek water thrushes
were again met with. At Circle I .saw several Augast 10-20, took one
1.5 miles above Fort Yukon August 21, and saw two in a thicket at
the Aphoon mouth August 28. The 3'oung in fall plumage taken on
the Yukon are clove-brown above, including wings and tail —far darker
than is usual in >iotahil/.s—and have darker streaks below.

ir,(>. Wilsonia pusilla. Wilson War])ler.

Osgood took an adult female near the Chandindu Riv(M' August 4,
and I a young female near Charlie Village August 11 and a young
male 25 miles above Circle August 12. 1 also saw one 80 miles below
Circle August 20. These birds, while not typical j^mlln, are, like
those of the Lower Yukon, nearer it than 2>^J<'ol<ita,

151. Wilsonia pusilla pileolata. Pileolated Warbler.

We found this the most a})undant bird at Glaciei- June 5-10, fre-
quenting the alder thickots from the valley as far as they extended up
the hills. 1 saw a j'ellow warbler I thought this species on White Pass
Suuuuit June 12. Pileolated warblers were conunon at Log Cabin,
Bennett, and Caribou Crossing, and I am confident 1 heard them
singing at Lake Marsh. Adult males from Glacier rcseml)le normal
pi/i'dlata closely, but hiive the back rather more green; those from the
Yukon Vall(!j', while having the orange forehead and lower parts of
this form, have the duller green back of jHt^iUa.

[MotndUd oonlorlx. Swinhoe Wagtail. On the morning of August
28 t\\Q, Jiohc/'f /un\ on which 1 was a pas.sengei, was hindered from
proceeding l>y a gide and low water on the bar, and was made fast to
the bank at the Ajjhoon mouth of the Yukon. As I came on deck I
sjiw half a dozen white wagtails ily about the vessel and settle in the
grass close by. While I returned for my gun they left, but a thor-
ough ac(|uaintance with MofacHld alhu in Egypt, where it is abundant
during the winter, leaves me no doubt that these l)irds were wagtiuls.]

152, Anthus pensilvanicus. American Pipit.

A nnile tiiken at Skagway flune 8 was probably a belated migrant.
On the heights above Glacier Osgood saw several June 5, and we

NOBTH AMERICAN FAUNA.

[NO. 19.

found them coMinioii at Summit Juno 11-13. A female taken June 13
wiui la3'ing, and a f renh hut empty nest I found the same day I attrib-
uted to this species, no other being near. ' This nest was loosel}'
formed of iine di'y grass in a hollow in the deep moss which covered
the almost perpendicular side of a bowlder lying on a hill high above
Summit, only a small hole for entrance showing in the moss. We
often saw the song-llight at Summit. Launching himself with a sharp
preliminary ' chip ' from one of the granite bowlders that abound
there, the male would rise rapidly to a height of a hundred feet or
more, uttering a sweet, clear song. After poising high in air and
repeating this song for several minutes the singer would slowly float
toward earth and alight 100 yards from where he started, soon to repeat
the same performance. We found a pair on the heights al)ove Ben-
nett June 17, and a few, possibly members of one family, at Circle
August 15-20.

153. Cinclnb mexicanas. American Dipper.

We colle(!ted a female and set of four fresh eggs at the falls at
Glacier June 8. A single ou/el seen farther down the river flune 10
was probably the mate of the ore taken. Osgood also took one at
Unalaska Octolier 5.

15-1. Anorthura hiemalis pacifica. Western Winter Wren.

We noticed a few at Glacier June 4-10, and 1 took a male there
Juno (').

155. Anorthura alascensis. Alaska Wren.

I saw one at St. (loorge Octobi^r 3, and we collected five at Unalaska
October 5. The young were then molting.

156. Sitta canadensis. Red-breasted Nuthatch.

I took a male at Skagway May 31 and another near Log Cabin
flunc 20, and heard one on an island at the junction of the Lewos and
Polly rti'jrs July 2(?. This species has not heretofore been noted in
the Yukon Valley.

157. Parus atricapillus septentrionalis. Long-tailod (Chickadee.

We took this species at Bennett June li>, west shore of Lak(^ Ben-
nett Juno 24, Caribou Crossing .lune 2H, Lake Marsh July 7, and Lake
Lebarge July 15. but did not notice it again until we reached the Lower
Yukon, although chickadees were heard .several times whose specific
identity was not determined. Thirty miles l)elow Holy C'ro^s Mission
I took two August 26, and at the Aphoon mouth 1 saw a small flock
August 28. Young able to fly were taken July 7. One taken August
25 had comi)leted the molt into first winter plumage, while an adult
taken the same day was in fresh pluunige.

(K,T.,iaoo.]

BIKD8 OF THK YUKON BKOION.

5>3

158. Parus hudsonicus evura.' Yukon Chickadee.

We took the Yukon chickadee at Caribou Cro.s.sirif( June 27, Lake
Tagish June 30, Lake Mar.sh July 5, and Lake Lcbarf^(^ July 14, and
after reaching Thirty-Mile River July 19, found it regularly distrib-
uted in families or large Hocks all the way to Fort Yukon, 1.5 miles
above which I saw a flock August 21. At St. Michael I took a young
female in first winter plumage September 20. Young able to fly were
first taken July 5 and molting birds August 13. We took adults in
full molt June 27, and one in which the molt was almost completed
July 24.

159. Parus rufescens. Chestnut-backed Chickadee.

We found a few at Haines and Skagway, and I took one and heard
another at Glacier June 5. A female taken at Skagway June 3 had
finished laying.

160. Regulus satrapa olivacens. Wei^orn Golden-<a*owned Kinglet.
Tolerably common at Glacier; often heard but seldom seen, and

difficult to procure. A female that I took June 10 had the last egg
ready for the shell.

101. BeguluB calendula. Ruby-crowned Kinglet.

I took a male at Log Cabin, and on June 20, between that point
iind liennett, heard another singing. Osgood took two young speci-
mens, one at Lower Lebargc .luly 17, and the other 20 miles beiow
Dawson August 4.

169u Regulus calendula gilnnelli.' Sitka Kinglet.

At ;5l«igway I heard a Sitka kinglet singing May 31, and at Haines
took a male and heard another singing June 1. At Glacier I took a
male .lune <>, and during our stay heard two or three others singing.
While the Log Cabin ))ird is normal ealendii/a, the Haines and Glacier
birds have the more olive back and darker sides of crown of (jrintuMI.

163. Myadestes townsendi. Townscnd Solitaire.

On the heights above Bennett I took an adult male June 17. On
the hot noon of June 26, while seated on the summit of a hill some
1,500 feet above Caribou Crossing, I heard the most beautiful bird
song that has ever delighted my ear. It seemed to combine the
strength of the robin, the joyousncss and soaring quality of the bobo-
link, and the sweetness and purity of the wood thrush. Starting low
and apparently far away, it gained in intensity and voliune until it
filled the air, and I looked for the singer just above my head. I
finally traced the song to a Townsend solitjiiro that was seated on

i^^rll

'. ¥i

I-

.Mi

'Auk, XVII, 118, April, 1000.

» Auk, XIV, 3(t9, 1897.

I; ^- ■»

NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA.

[NO. 19.

a dead tree about 150 yards away, pouring forth this voluuie of melody
without leaving its perch. The singer came close enough later to
make identification certain. *

Osgood and Maddren saw one at Lake Lebargc July 14. Osgood
took an adult at Miles Canyon July 11, another at the Semenow Hills
July 20, a young in the spotted plumage 20 miles below the Selwyn
River July 29, and another young 30 miles above the White River
July 30. I saw an adult near the Selwyn River July 21>, and took a
molting adult near Sixty-Mile Creek August 1. Mr. Cantwell found
this si)ecies in the Yukon Valley.

ill

lejr. Hylocichla alicin. Gray -cheeked Thrush.

Several thrushes which we heard singing on the west shore of Lake
Marsh July 8 were, I think, this specie?', as their song differed from
that of the dwarf, hermit, and Alma thrushes. 1 saw two, l)ut they
were so shy that I could not secure either. Near Sixty-Mile Creek,
July 31, 1 took a young in spotted plumage, which was with the young
of almw which 0.sgood shot. At Circle 1 took a young in first winter
plumage, also with almcB.

1 "

105. Hylocichla astulata almee.* Alma Thrush.

This is the common thi-ush of the Yukon basin, occurring every-
where from Log Cabin to Circle, perhaps in largest numbers at
Caribou Crossing and Lake Marsh. Fifteen miles above Fort Yukon

1 took one, and saw others August 21. We found many nests,
usually 6 to 10 feet from the ground in thick growths of young
spruces, but none contained eggs. A nest containing four young
just, hatched, which 1 found at Caribou Crossing June 25, was about
8 feet from the ground in a thicket of small spruces. The nest resem-
bled that of //. 11. itwainsani. At Miles Canyon July 11 we saw
young al)le to Hy. Osgood took young in spotted plumage July 31,
but those taken August 20 had assumed first winter ])lumage.

They were usually silent by day, but sang frcijuentiy during the
short nights. At Caribou Crossing, the last of Jvuit>, their song could
bo heard constantly from 8 p. m. to H a. m.. mw taking up the
stmin as another stopper' The song is nmch superior to that of
FTylocichla ifmnhoichkai and almost e({ual to that of If. J'lutccficf/M. It
has whispered notes like that of //. mxintellnm. By the middUi of
July the song season was practically over, though we iicard one of
the birds singing fFuly 23. When the nights ln'came really dark in
August, I often heard the call-note of this bird near our camp between

2 and 3 a. m.

>Auk, XVII, lU), April, IJMX).

OCT., 1900.]

BIRDS OF THE YUKON RKGION.

106. Hylocichla aonalaschkse. I )wurf Hermit Thru.sh.

We heard .several singing iit Skagwiiy, and Osgood took ono iit
Haines June 2. At Gia(^icr they wore toleriil)ly coinnion, and we
secured .several, but they were very shy, keeping in tiie thickets dur-
ing the da}' and .singing for several houi"S in the evening from the
topmcst .spray of some spruce well up the mountjiinside. Sevenil
thrushes' nests in small spruces <> to S feet from the ground were
empty, for which condition the abundant rod .S(|uirrels were probably
responsible. At Log Cabin and Bemiett we heard a few singing, and
at Caribou Crossing Osgood took one flune 27.

167. Hylocichla aonalaschkse pallasi. Hermit Thrush.

About 15 miles below Little Salmon River July 22 we secured a
pair, whose nest, containing four well-grown young. Osgood had found
the evening before. Far from .-electing tlie secluded nesting site usual
with this species, this pair had placed their nest lu'twcuMi two small
bunches of flowers on an open .southern hillside, just above a .small
piece of burnt poplar woodland, and exposed to the full glare of the
sun.

168. Meruli migratoria. American Robin.

Tolerably conunon at Haines and Skagway, but not found at Gla-
cier. At Haines I took a female and four well-incubated eggs June 2.
Robins were conunon at Log Cabin .hine 15, and were found regu-
larly, but in gradually decreasing numbers, until August 1, when the
last was noted near Sixty-Mile Creek. A flock seen July 29 showed
that the southern migration had commenced. We found an empty
nest 30 miles below Dawson and heard that the birds bred near Fort
Yukon.

Although robins were bv no means common at Caribou Crossing, I
found, on June 25, 18 empty nests, most of them evidently built
that year, and 4 empty nests of the Alma thrush, in a small paU'h of
spruces. The red squirrels which lived in a hollow tree near by
probal)ly knew the location of most of these nests. Osgood took a
well-grown young robin here on June 26.

169. Hesperocichla nsevia. Varied Thi'ush.

At Haines I saw .several .June I, and Osgood took one June 2. At
Glacier varied thrushes were rather conunon, l»ut exceedingly .shy.
About an hour before sunset they would fly to the top of .some tall
tree and repeatedly' utter a long-drawn, plaintive whistle until dark-
ness fell. Sometimes on cloudy days we would heai- their song, but
it was infre(|uent and had about stopped when we h^ft (ilacier, Juno
11. We next .saw this species near the Tatchun River, where I took
a young bird July 23. Thirty miles below Dawson we took young,

ll'fll

NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA.

[NO. I'.l.

and met with tho birds several tinier until August 21, when lui'ge
flocky were ween near Fort Yukon.

At Glacier I found on June 7 a nest containing four eggs, varying
from fresh to several days incubated. It was very large, built of
sticks and moss and lined with dry grass, and was situated 15 feet
from the ground, near the top of a small spruce growing \n dense
woods a short distance from the river. When 1 put my hand on
the tree, the female flew from the nest with a hoarse, cackling cry and
settled a few feet away; the male did not appear. The eggs average
1.25 by 0.84 inches and are nile blue sparingly spotted with <5cru drab
and seal brown.

170. Saxicola (snanthe. Wheatear.

Osgood saw two young wheatears at Circle August 19, and secured
one. At the Aphoon mouth I shot one on August 27, which fell ^nto
the river and was carried away by the rapid current, but I saw tiie
white rump plainly.

171. Sialia arctica. Mountain Bluebird.

We found a pair on Fifty-Mile River a short distance above Miles
Canyon July 10. The next day 1 secured the female and found the
nest with four well-incubated eggs in a hole about 8 feet from the
ground in a dead spruce in the midst of a burnt tract. July 22 I
shot a male near the point where Fifty-Mile River empties »nto Lake
Lebarge. Mr. Cantwcll also found this species on Fifty-Mile River.

INDEX,

[Namcidf iKW sjn'cius in lilurk-fHvc type]

Abies Inslooarpn, 9, 16.
Ai'iiMthis t.'Xilipo8,8°.2.

Iinnria,8'.>.
Aci'lpitcT ntrii'iiplllns, 73.

volo.x, Ti.
Actiti.s innciilaria, C9.
.Eeliiiuipliorii.s occideutAlls, 57.
.KKialitls semipalmata, 70.
Alaska tniidra district, 1.5-10.
Albatross, short-tailed, (iO-61.
Alct'»gigas,23.
Almissiiiuata,9, Ifi.
Ami'laiichlfr alnitolia, 10.
Ammod ramus alaudlmis, S;}-8I.

sandwichensis, US.
Ampelis garnilus, 88-8'J.
Anas boschas, t;i-62.
Andromeda poUfolia, 15.
Anorthnra alasccnsiH,9'i.

pacifica,92.
Anser gambeli.tH.
Anthiis pensilvanicns, 91-92.
Aroliibiiteo Ingopus, 73.
.Vrctomys caligatus, 31-32.
.\rctostaphylos uvaursi,9, 10.
.\renaria melanoeephala. 71.
Anemi.>iia arctiea, 15-16.

Jrigida,ll,12.
Asio acclpitrinus, 70.
Aulclet, least, 58.
Aythyanfflnis.fii'.

marila,62.
Baldpate,62.
Bat, little brown, «.
Bear, -Vlaska grizzly, 11.

black, 41.
Beaver, American, 32.
Belnla Klandulosa, '.), 10.

nana, 16.

papyrifera, 11.
Birds, cliissifieil lists of,.)l-,57.
Blackbird, rusty, 81.
Bluebird, mountain, 9(i.
Bonasii umbelloides, 71.
Brachyrami>luis marnioratus, 58.
Brania hutchingi,64.
BuIh) pallescens, 76-77
Buffalo berry, 10.
Bume-head,G3.
Buteo calurus, 73.
Calcarins alaseensls, 83.
Calidris arenaria.67.
L'amichites osgondi, 19, 71.
Canadian Yuknu district, 10-13.
Canis (iccidentalis, 10.
(.'aribou, barren ground, 23.

mountain, 22.
('assioi)oa tetraguna, 15.
Castor eainidensis,32.

441)4— No. 19 —

Ccpphus columba,.').s.
Ceryle iilcyon,77.
Chamacistiis i)roeumbens, 16.
Chaniienerion angustifoliuni, 13.
Charadrius fulvus,70.
Charitonetta all)eola,0;j.
Chen liyperlK)rea,64.
Chickadee, chestnut-backed, 93.

long-tailed, 92.

Yukon, 93.
Chipmunk, gray-headed, 28-29.
Chordeiles virginianus, 79.
Clndus mexicaniis, 92.
Circus liud.sonius, 72.
Clangula americana,62.
Clivicohi riparia, 88.
Coccothraustes montaniis, 81-82.
Colaptes lutens, 78.
Colymbus holba'lli,57.
Contopus borealls, 79.

saturatus, 19, 79-80.
Cormorant, iwlagic, 61.

red-faced, 01.

violet-green, 61.
Corvus americanus, 81.

caurinus, 81.

principalis, 81.
Crane, little brown, 65.
Crossbill, red, 82,

\vhite-wingetl,82.
Crow, .American, 81.

northwest, 81.
Crymophilus fnlicarius, 6.5.
Curlew, Hudsonian, 69.
Cyanocitta stelleri, 80.
Dallla acuta, 62.
Dendragnpus fuliginosus, 71.
Dendroica hooveri,90.

rubiginosa,89.

.striata, 90.

townsendi, yo-lM .
Dicrostonyx «la.scensi.s, 20, 38.

nelsoni,20, 38.
Diomedea albatrns, 60-61.
Dipper, American, 92,
Dryobates hyloscopus, 77

leueomelas, 77. ■ ".

Duek,liarle<iuin,63.

lesser scaup, 62.

scaup, 62.
Eagle, gray sea, 73.

northern bald, 71.
Killer, raeilie, 63.
Enipetruni nigrum, 9, 10.
EmpitUinax alnorum,.80.

li»mniondi,80.
Hquisetum,13, 14.
luetliizon myops, 20, 38.
KutuiulaM ('Rlllv«|is, 19,28-29.

' i

INDEX.

I'n

« HI

U •

if ,

}l ;

Evotomys nlnscensis, 85.

dinysoni,H4.
Falcoiiiiiitum,"4.

coIiimbnrlu?,76.

pi'nlel, 75.

rlcliHrfl.wni,?.').

nisticdliis, 74.

»pnrvcrlu8,7r).
Falcon, Pcnie, 75.
Fiiunnlti|striets,8-is.
FIlMT npitulatas, 19, 34>-37.
Fisher, 44.

FUc'kor, northern, 7S.
Flycatcher, nlder, 80.

Hammond, 80.

ollvc-»i(U-<l,79.
Fox, Hnll Island, 41.

red, 41.
Fratcrcula cornlcnlata, 57.
Fulmar, Pncilic, til.
Fulmnnis gliiplscha, fil,
Galihingo dclicata, Cb.
Gavia arctica, 57.

imber, 57.
Goat, mountain, 25.
Gnldcn-eye, American, <>2.
Goose, American wliite-Jronted, 04.

emperor. 64.

Hutchins, CA.

lesfer snow, 04.
Gosliawlf. American, 73.
Grebe, Ilolbu-ll, .57.

western, 57.
Grosbeak, Alaska pine, 82.

western evening. 81-,s2.
Grouse, Alaska. 71.

gray ruffed, 71.

.sooty, 71.
Grus canadensis, 05.
Guillemot, pigeon, as.
Gull. American herring. .59.

Bona|>arte, 00.

Klaucou.s-wingcd, ,59.

I'oint Barrow, 69.

Saljine, 00.

short-billed, ,59-00.
Gulo luscus. 44.
Gyrfalcon, gray, 74.
Hare, Alaska arctic, 40.

Dall varying, 40.
Harelda liyemalis, 03.
Haliaetus alascanus, 71.

albicilla, 73.
Hawk, duck, 74.

American sparmw, 75.

marsh. 72.

pigeon. 75.

rough-legged, 73.

sharji-shinncd, 72.

western red-tailed, 73.
Helminthophila eclata, wi.

lutescens, 89.

peregrina, 89.
Hclodromas cinnamomeus, 08
Hcsperocichla na;via, 95-90.
Ucsperomys arcticus, 33.
Heteraetitis incanus, 09.
Uiruudo unalaschkcnsis, 87.

Histrionicus liistriontciis, 03.
Hudsonian Yuknn district, i;<-15.
Hunnningbird, rufous, 79.
Uylociehla aliei*, 91.

almie. 94.

aonalaschklB, 95.

pallasi, 95.
JcDger, long-tailed, 5s.

parasitic, 58.
Jay, Alaska. 80-81.

Steller, 80.
Junco, Oregon, 80.

Khufeldt, 86.

slate-colored, 85-86.
.lunco eonnectens, 86.

hycmaiis, 8.5-86.

oregonus, 80.
Junipems nana, 9, 10, 13.
Kalmia '<lauca, VC.
Kinptisher, belted, 77.
Kinglet, ruljy-crowned. '.I3.

Kitka, 93.

western golden-crowned, ii3.
Kittiwakc, I'acifie, .58.

reil-legged, ,58.
Lagopus lagopus, 71.

leucurus. 72.

nelsoni, 72.

rnpestris. 72.
Lari.x ameri'^ana, 14.
Larus tiarrovianus, ,59.

brachyrliynehus, ,59-00.

glaucescens, ,59.

Philadelphia, CO.

smithsonianus, .59.
Ledum gra'nlandicum. 10.

palustrc, 15.
Lemming, Alaska, 38.

Nels<jn pied, 3\

Yukon. 37-:i8.
Lemmus alascensis, 20. 38.

yukiincnsis, 20. 37-38.
Lepargyneii canadensis. 10.
Lepus dalli, 20, 40.

otluis, 20, 40.

KallcilH, 19, 39-40.
Lcucosticte, Aleiuian. n2.

Hepburn. 82.
I,eucosticte griseonudui, 82.

littoralis, 82.
Longspur. Alaska, 83.
LtHHl, 57.

black-throated, .57.
Loxia leiu'optera, 82.

minor, 82.
Lnnda cirrhata, 57.
Lutra canadensis, 41.
liUtrooIiiliiKciis, 19. 42.
Lyini <'«nal district, 8-9.
Lynx,arcll<,40.
Lyn.x mollii)ilosus,20,40.
Magpie, American, 80.
Mairania alpina,1,5.
Malhiril, 01-<i2.
Mammals, list, 22.
Mareea amcricana, 02.
Marmot, hoary, 31-32.
Marten, Alaska, 43-44.

INDEX.

»9

Megnncops kcnnicotti, 7(1.
Mtlosplzft clnorea, 86.

lliK'olnl, Sfi.

rullim, 80.

slriatn, 8t>.
MtTKiiiiMT, American, 01.
MiTKiinser amorlcanus, 01.
Merlin, RIchnrdson, 76.
Meriila mlgratoria, 95.
Miorotus (Iruinini)iidl, 3&-36.

iiiorilax, 17, 35.

(ipcrariiLs, 30.

xanthogiiHlhus, 30.
Mink, Aln.skn, 12.
M(H)se, Alaska, 23.
MotaeiUft ocularis, 91.
Mouse, Alaska jumping, 38.

Arctic whitc-f(M,totl, 33.

Bangs white-ffmted, 32-33.

Dall lemming, 37.

Dawson red-backed, 34.

tundra red-backed. 35.
Mnrre, J'allas, bs.
JIurrelet, marbled, 58.
Mus decMtmanus, 32.
JIuskrat, northwest, 36-37.
MuHtt'la actuoHi, 19, 43-1 1.

I>cnnanti, M.
Myadcstes townscndl, 93-94.
Myosotis alpcstrls, 10.
Myotis lucitugus, 45.
Neutonia saxanians, 19, ;);)-34.
Nottion carolinensis, 02.
New si)ecics, 19.
Niglithawk, 79.
Numenius hudsonicus, 09.
Nuthatch, red-brcasti'd, 92.
Nyctala riehardsoni, 70.
Occanodroma furcata, 01.
Ochotona coUaris, 38-39.
Oidemia americann, 03.

deglandi. Oil.

pcrspicillatii, 03-(;i.
Old-squaw, 03.
Olor columbianus,li5.
t)reaninos montanus, 25.
Osprey, American. 70.
Otter, American, 41.
OvLsdalli, 24-2.5.

stonei,24.
Owl, great gray, 70.

American hawk, 77.

Kennicott screech, 70.

Richardson, 70.

short-cared, 70.

western liorncd, 70-77.
Pandion ('nrolineusis, 70.
I'arus evurn,93.

rufescen.s, 93.

sei>tcntri(malis,92.
Pas-serella iliaca,87.

town.«endi,87.
ra.s.seriini nivalis, 83.
I'erisoreus Jumifrons, .sO-81.
Peromyscus nrcticu«, 33.

orca.-', 32-33.
Petrel, forked-tailed, 01.
Petrochelidon lunifrons,87.

Pewee, Alaska wikkI, 79-N).
Phalacrocorax pelagicus.Ol.

robnstus.Ol.

urile.Ol.
Phnlarope, northern 05.

red, 05.
Phalaropus lobatiis.0.5.
I'hllacte canagica,04.
PlKebe, Yukon, 79.
Pica hudsonica.so.
Picea canadensis, 10.

sitchcnsis, 9.
Plcoidcs alascensis, 78.

arct lens. 77-78.
Ilka. Alaska, 3S-39.
PInlcola alascensis, 82.
PlnUill,02.
Plnus niurrMynna.9, 13, 10. 17.

sitchensis, 9.
Pipit, American, 91-92.
Plover, black-bellied, 70.

PaclticKol<len.70.

.seniipalmated.70.
Polemonitnn liuniile, 10.
Populus balsam if era, 9.

tremuloides, s, 9.
Porcupine, .\laska. 38.
Ptarmigan, Nelson, 72.

rock. 72.

white-tailed. 72.

willow. 71.
Puffin, horned,. 57.
' tnfteil..57.

I'utorius alascensis, 43.

arcticus, 42-13.

cskimo.20, 43.

riehardsoni, 42.
Rangifer arcticus, 23.

montanus, 22.

tarainlns,23.
Rat, northern bushy-tailed, 33-31.

Norway. 32.
Raven, northern, si.
Redpoll, 82.

hoary. 82.
Rcgulus calendula, 93.

grinnclli,93.

olivaceus. 93.
Reindeer, domesticated. 23.
Ribes laxillorum,9.
Ris«a lirevirostrls. !JS.

pollicaris..'>s.
Robin. .\ni','rican.95.
Rosa cinnamomea, 14.
Rubus arcticus, 10.

chanuemorus, 10.
Sandcrling. 07.
.Sandpiper. Aleutian, iki.

Baird,07.

least, 07.

pectoral. 00.

Priliilot.OO.

red-baekcd,07.

sharp-tailed, 00.

spotted. 09.

western solitary, Os.
.*apsuckcr, reil-breasted, 78.
SaxicoUi a'nanthe,90.

.i i

i >.

100

INDKX.

"li

SayoriilN .viikoncngiR.lO, 79.
HrluruptrruN fukunrimlii, 10, 2.V'Jii.
Sciiinis hiulHnnlcliK, 26-27.

prtaUiiN, lU, 27-28.

vniicoiivi'rensi»,27.
ScolectiphiiguH ciirollnuR, HI.
ScotiT, ,\imTi('nn,t'i3.

Mirf,('.;t-ti4.

\vhllf-\vliiKC<l,(i8.
S(i)tlai>ti'.\ clnt'rfn.'O.
Si'lunis notiibllis.gi.
SeliisiilKinis rufiis,79.
Sheep. Dull iniiuntnin,2l-2.'>.
Shrew, II relic, 41.

mi)mitnlii,4.i.

i<treiitnr,44.

tuiulni,4-"i.
S'inliii iirctidi, W.
Siinorhyni'hu!* pnslllus,.'vS.
.Siskin. pIno.Ki.
Pittii caiiadensiM, 'J2.
Snipe, Wilwm.C).').
.Sn<>w(l«ko,83.
S< vlitaire, Townsond, 9:}-!M.
Somnteria v-nlgrn,C3.
Sore.x arrtlcus,20,44.

ohscunis, 4.'i.

streatori,44.

tun(lrensis,20,48.
Sparrow. .Mentian sonK,8<i.

F(irljiish,x(i.

Fo.\,s7.

polden-crowned, 84.

intermediate, 84.

Linci)ln,K(l.

sandwleh.s:!.

sooty song,. SI.

Townsend fo.\, 87.

western chipping, 85.

westcni savanna, 8;i-84.

western tree, 84-8.'i.
.«permophiliis ()sgoodi,20,31.

pIpalUH, 19,29-31.
.Sphyrapicus nilier, 7S.
.spinus jiinus. .h3.
Spizella arizonK, 8.i.

oehrai'ea,S4-8.'>.
Siiuatarola scjiiatarola, 70.
.^(lUirrel, Bennett gromid, 29-31.

Fort Yukon ^Tound, 31.

Hudson Bay reiI,2r)-27.

Yukon flying, 2o-2ii.
Stercorarius longieaudus, .t8.

parasiticus, .V.
Sterna paradisaca.tiO.
.Sumia caparoch, 77.
Swallow, .Maska, 87.

bank.ss.

elifT,.s7.

tree, 87.

violct-grccn, 88.
Swan, whistling, 65.
Symphemia ;noniata,G9.
Synaptomys dalli, 37.
Taehycincta bicolor. ^7.

thalas.sina.fN.
Tattler, wandering, 69,

'ruHl,green-winKe<l,63,
Tern, arctic, tiO.
ThniNh,Alina,94.

dwarf hermit, ftS.

gray-cheeked, 91.

hermit, 9-').

varied, 9.>- 96.
Thuja i)llcata, 16.
Totanus flavipes, 68.
Tringa acuminata, 66.

l)airdl,67.

couesl.C).").

maculala,66.

mlnntilla,67.

pacilica,67.

pliliK?neml»,66.
Tsugu mortensinna,9.
Turnstone, black, 71.
Tussilago frigida, 16.
I'ria arra, 58.
I'rsus alasi^ensis, 41.

americanus, 41.
V'acciuinm ovallfolliim,9.

vitislda.'a, 15.
Viburnum pauciflorum, 10.
Vole, Drummond, 35-36.

long-tailed, 35.

Nelson, 36.

yellow-ehecke<l,,S6.
Vulpes fnlvus,41.

hallensis,20,41.
Wagtail, Swinhoe, 91.
Warbler, Alaska yellow, 89-90.

blaek-i>oll,90.

H<x)ver, 90.

lutcscent, 89.

orange-crowne<l, 89.

pileolated,91.

Tennessee, 89.

Townsend, 90-91.

Wilson, 91.
Water thrush, Grinnell, 91.
Waxwing, Bohemian, 88-89.
Weasel, Alaska least, 13.

.luneau, 43.

tundra, 42-43.
Wheatear, 96.
White I'a.ss district, 9-10.
Willet, western, 69.
Wilsouiaplleolata,91.

pusilla,91.
Wolf, 10.
Wolverine, 44.
Woodiiccker, .Vlaska threotoed, 78.

arctic three-toed, 77-78.

Crtbanis, 77.

northern hairy, 77.
Wren, Alaska, 92.

western winter, 92.
Xenia sabinii,60.
Yellow-leg^68.
Yukon flats, 14.
ZapuH alascensi8,38.
Zones, lu.
Zoiiotrichla coronata,84.

gambeli,84.