. Report upon natural history collections made in Alaska between the years 1877 and 1881 . cept those closelybordering the shore line. It is a marsh-loving species, and is rarely found near the bold promontories and capes whichdelight the Kitti wakes. Frequenting all the flat marshy country of the coast and interior, theyare found nesting from the peninsula of Aliaska north to the head of Kotzebue Sound, and fromthis sea-coast region they breed interiorly over Alaska and Northern British America. At the Yukon mouth and Saint Michaels May 14 is the earliest date they were noted inspring. As a r
. Report upon natural history collections made in Alaska between the years 1877 and 1881 . cept those closelybordering the shore line. It is a marsh-loving species, and is rarely found near the bold promontories and capes whichdelight the Kitti wakes. Frequenting all the flat marshy country of the coast and interior, theyare found nesting from the peninsula of Aliaska north to the head of Kotzebue Sound, and fromthis sea-coast region they breed interiorly over Alaska and Northern British America. At the Yukon mouth and Saint Michaels May 14 is the earliest date they were noted inspring. As a rule they are rare until the 20th or 25th of May, about which time they find theponds and sluggish streams open in the coast country. They undoubtedly reach interior localitiesearlier in the season, as the spring is considerably earlier there. In the breeding season specimens taken at the Yukon mouth in May had the iris light hazel,bill and feet gamboge-yellow, with a shade of green on the legs and toes, the corner of gape red,with a narrow red membranous ring around the eye. Plate >■ « -s m ^mil 0Pi Q^ BIEDS. 55 They show considerable curiosity upon tlie appearanceof an intruder, and very frequently fol-low one for some distance, uttering a sharp, querulous kwew, kwew. When one or more areshot the others circle about a few times, but show very little solicitude over the fate of their com-panions. All the examples shot by me in May were extremely handsome, the soft, white plumage beingshaded with a delicate rose color. Adult birds taken at Saint Michaels the last of August had asilver gray iris mottled with lavender; bill yellow at tip and dingy yellow at base; feet dingyolive greenish or yellowish. The young of the year at the same season have a hazel iris, darkhorn-colored bill, dull flesh-colored at the base, and pale flesh-colored feet and legs. Upon theirfirst arrival in the north these birds seek the vicinity of their summer resorts and are found inthe same vic
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, booksubjectbirds, booksubjectzoology, bookyear18
