ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 13 



Other additions ■previously made. 



The following birds were also obtained in Ciilifornia before 1859, but are 

 not mentioned in the " Birds of North America," etc., as inhabitants of this 

 State. 



Nijcfnle Acadica Gmelin, (Bonap.) — Saw-whet Owl. Monterey, Gambel, 

 and found by me at Santa Cruz. 



Chatura Vauxii Towuseud, (Dekay) — AYestern Chimney Swallow. " Cali- 

 fornia," Delattre, and 1 have shot it in Santa Clara County. 



Tctrao obscurus Say — Dusky or Blue Grouse. " Bodega," Delattre. Com- 

 mon north of lat. 38° in the coast range, and south to 37° in the Sierra Nevada. 

 [Hepburn.) 



Centrocercus urophasianus Bonap. (Swains.) — Sage Fowl. Common on the 

 eastern frontiers of California, and I have seen a fine specimen obtained as far 

 south as the Mojave Kiver. 



Macroramphus scolopaceus Say, (Lawrence) — Long-billed Snipe — San Fran- 

 cisco, Slimpson, Fort Tejon, Xantus ; Santa Barbara in May, a fine speci- 

 men in adult plumage, shot by myself. 'Abundant on the Los Angeles Plains 

 in winter, (none of M. griseus). 



Histrionicus torquatus Linn. (Bonap) — Harlequin Duck. " Bodega " Delattre, 

 " San Francisco," Stimpson. 



Hi/drodielidon fissipes Linn. (Gray) — Blackbellied Tern. Given by Dr. Hecr- 

 man as a Californian bird under the name of "Sterna nigra," though he appar- 

 ently furnished no specimens for the authors of the " Birds of North America," 

 . etc. Is the " H. plumbea" of my former list, and I have ascertained that they 

 migrate abundantly along the interior valleys in spring and fall. 



Several are mentioned by Coues as merely " observed " in California along 

 the Colorado River, but there is reason to doubt the identity of the species. 

 They are : 



Cerijle Americana Gmel. (sp.) — Green Kingfisher. 



Phalaropus Wilsonii Bonap. — Wilson's Phalarope. 



Chracocephalus atricilla Linn, (sp.) — Hooded Tern. 



C. Franklinii Rich. — Franklin's Tern. 



Sterna Antillarum Lesson — Least Tern. 



Podiceps cornutus Latham — Horned Grebe. 



Mr. Theodore A. Blake read the followino; : 



Notes On Alaska. 



Like other continental coasts in high latitudes, north and south, this is 

 bordered by high mountain ranges, and presents a most intricate and rugged 

 shore, though grander than some others cited. This is mainly due to the mighty 

 erosive action of glaciers, the formation of which- is the natural result of atmos- 

 pherffc humidity and low mean annual temperature, due not only to geographical 

 position, but to high elevation. The published, and glaringly inaccurate, 



