ALASKA. 181 



fserics in the Siiiitlisoniaii InstitiitiMii. collected at various points 

 in the Yukon and Audersou lliver region : The ^aound varies 

 from dark greenish olive, or brownish olive, through various 

 lighter drab tints, nearly to a bnffy brown, occasionally to a 

 light gray. Tlie markings are usually heavy and bold, consist- 

 ing of large spots, and still larger blotches or splashes result- 

 ing from their confluence, mingled with dots and scratches in 

 interminable confusion. Jn general pretty evenly distril)uted, 

 they often tend to aggregate about the larger end, in rarer in- 

 stances forming a perfect wreath. In a few ijistances all the 

 markings are mere dots. As a rule, the size and heaviness of 

 the markings bear some proportion to intensity of the ground 

 color ; the markings are dark bister-brown, chocolate, and some- 

 times still lighter brown. The longest and narrowest egg of 

 several dozen measures 1.30 by only .73 ; a short, thick egg 

 gives only 1.10 by .82 ; the average is about 1.20 by .SO. The 

 eggs are three or four in number, oftenest the latter, and are 

 generally laid in June, oftenest in the latter half of the month. 

 They are deposited in a slight depression of the ground, vari- 

 ously lined with a little withered vegetation. 



"A few stray couples breed upon the islands, nesting around 

 the margins of the lakelets. The egg I was unable to find, but 

 I secured several newly-hatched young ones which were very 

 pretty and interesting. They are only two or three inches long, 

 with a bill about a third of an inch in length, and no thicker 

 than an ordinary dressing-pin. The down of the head, neck, 

 and upper parts is rich brownish yellow, variegated with 

 brownish black, the crown being of this color mixed with yel- 

 low, and a long stripe extends down the back, llanked with one 

 over each hip, another across the rump, and a shoulder-spot on 

 <?ach side. The under parts are grayish silvery white. This 

 bird, when startled, or solicitous for the safety of its young, 

 utters a succession of sonorous 'ticect' sounds, quickly repeated, 

 with long intervals of silence." 



411. PEialiiropiis fiilicariu**;, ^L..) Box.— 7?tff Phalaropc. 



The nidification of this species is similar in all respects to 

 that of L. hypcrhorcus, and the egg cannot be distinguished 

 Avith certainty in any given instance. They average, however, 

 somewhat larger — about 1.2.3 by .85. The largest specimen 

 measured 1.30 by .00 ; the shortest, 1.15 by .00. ]S^umerous 

 specimens, in the Smithsonian collection, were taken early in 

 July, at Franklin Hay, on the arctic coast, by Mr. Iv. Macfar- 

 lane. 



