FAUNA OF THE ALEUTIAN ISLANDS AND ALASKA PENINSULA 137 



abundant shorebirds, being observed in flocks of at least 100. 

 Specimens were taken. Evidently, this is in the migration route. 



July 23, 1940, Gabrielson found this turnstone to be common 

 along Kvichak River, above Naknek. 



We frequently saw the black turnstone on the tide flats at 

 Ugashik River, May 27 to 29, 1936. One day, I noted 8 pairs, 

 and found a deserted nest containing 3 eggs. Evidently, the birds 

 were on their nesting grounds, which were confined to the tide 

 flats rather than to the somewhat higher mossy areas farther 

 back. 



Littlejohn (notes) wrote "Saw one flock in the spring at 

 Sanakh. Tried hard to obtain a specimen but failed. They were 

 very wild." 



Turner (1886) saw one of these turnstones at Belkovsky, south 

 side of Alaska Peninsula, in the early part of August 1881. He 

 says that they were reported to be plentiful on Unga and Sanak 

 Islands, where natives claimed this bird interfered with hunting 

 of marine mammals by making its characteristic outcries. The 

 natives had stated that the black turnstone is not found on 

 "Unalashka and other islands west of the mainland." 



Family SCOLOPACIDAE 



Capella gallinago: Common Snipe 

 Capella gallinago delicata 

 Attu: Goo-lech' -arch (?) 



The Attu chief insisted that he recognized a picture of a Wil- 

 son's snipe and gave us the native name, adding that the bird 

 nests on Attu as well as on other islands. Since this is at vari- 

 ance with all other information, one must seriously question it. 

 There is the possibility that the chief was referring to an allied 

 form from Siberia, which resembles the Wilson's snipe, and 

 which may occur sometimes in the Near Islands. 



On May 12, 1936, a Wilson's snipe was performing high in the 

 air over Kodiak Island, evidently on its nesting ground. Again, 

 on May 25 and 26, several of these snipe were performing at 

 Snag Point, Nushagak River. Osgood observed this species at 

 various parts of the base of Alaska Peninsula, and, he records a 

 specimen taken by McKay, April 25, 1882 (1904). Hanna also 

 obtained a specimen at Nushagak, May 16, 1911. 



Cahalane (1944) observed the common snipe in several places 

 within the Katmai National Monument in 1940, and on July 17, 

 1940, Gabrielson saw two snipe at Dillingham. 



