132 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA 61, FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE 



In this connection, it is interesting to note Stejneger's remarks 

 on Haematopus osculans, of Siberia (1885) : "This bird comes 

 only as a rare visitor to the [Commander] islands during the 

 migration seasons. This is rather strange, as it inhabits the 

 nearest coast of the mainland." 



Perhaps the oystercatchers are merely conservative — lacking 

 the exploratory tendency of some other species — and have not yet 

 had time to extend their range to the end of the Aleutian chain. 

 However, if we believe Turner's report of 1885, rather than his 

 report of 1886, the oystercatchers had reached Attu in 1885. 



Apparently, oystercatchers do not exceed a certain popula- 

 tion density and are scattered rather thinly along rocky shores. 



Usually, there were only a few pairs on an island (about six), 

 although more birds can be found on the larger islands. But 

 sometimes, in summer, they gather in loose flocks. On Ogliuga 

 Island, August 6, 1936, at least 25 or 30 were seen. On tiny 

 Salt Island, off the shore of Atka, on July 8, 1936, a flock of 13 

 was noted. 



A nest was found June 28, 1936, on a small islet off Little 

 Tanaga Island. The nest was in the grass — merely a shallow 

 depression lined with a few bits of barnacle shells — and con- 

 tained two eggs. Gabrielson (1941) found a nest on Tanaga 

 Island that contained 2 young and 1 pipped egg. 



Family CHARADRIIDAE 

 Charadrius dubius: Litfrle Ringed Plover 



Charadrius dubius curonicus 



The only record of the little ringed plover is the one by Schalow 

 (1891, p. 259), for Kodiak Island, which originally was recorded 

 as Charadrius alexandrinus Pallas. Oberholser (1919) concluded 

 that this record should be identified under Charadrius dubius 

 curonicus, and it was so listed in the 1931 A. 0. U. Check List. 

 This record is considered doubtful, and has been dropped from 

 the 5th edition of the A. 0. U. Check List. 



Charadrius semipalmatus: Semipalmated Plover 



The semipalmated plover is recorded from Kodiak Island 

 (Friedmann 1935) , and we observed two on the beach of Ushagat, 

 Barren Islands, May 11, 1936. Howell (1948) found a nest 

 with eggs at Kodiak Island, May 31, 1944. It occurs through- 

 out the length of Alaska Peninsula. G. D. Hanna collected a 



