FAUNA OF THE ALEUTIAN ISLANDS AND ALASKA PENINSULA 141 



and it is possible that it nests as far west as the end; however, 

 this is not certain. 



Totanus flavipes: Lesser Yellowlegs 



We did not encounter this species on our expeditions to the 

 Aleutian Islands, and records are few. Friedmann (1935) men- 

 tions a specimen (not available) collected by Bischoff on Kodiak 

 Island ; its occurrence at Karluk River was reported by Bean 

 in 1889. Cahalane reported (1943) that he saw "considerable 

 numbers of these birds September [1940] on mud flats exposed 

 by falling tide on the Naknek River below the rapids." 



Calidris canutus: Knot 



This species is mentioned here on the strength of Turner's re- 

 mark (1886) : "I have not observed this bird west of Ugasik, 

 on the eastern end of Aliaska, where it was quite plentiful in the 

 latter part of June 1878." Presumably, it migrates through the 

 Aleutian district, but we do not know the subspecies that are 

 involved. 



Erolla ptilocnemis: Rock Sandpiper 

 Erolia ptilocnemis ptilocnemis 



Using material that is available in the U. S. National Museum, 

 ptilocnemis, couesi, quarta, and maritima were carefully com- 

 pared. The last-named species appeared to be more stable in 

 characters than the forms from Bering Sea. In some instances 

 there was a close similarity, shown, for instance, between cer- 

 tain specimens of couesi from the Aleutians and specimens of 

 maritima; winter plumages are quite similar. There seemed good 

 reason to include them all as forms of one species — maritima. 

 However, Conover (1944) studied a much greater series — more 

 than 500 specimens — and concluded that two basic species exist. 

 His conclusion is followed here. 



E. p. ptilocnemis is larger than the other Bering Sea forms, 

 and it is paler, both in summer and winter plumages. Compared 

 with couesi, there is more tan color in the plumage of the back 

 (less of the rusty brown and less of the black admixture). Even 

 the primaries and tail are of a lighter color. 



In immature plumage, the feathers of the back are dark and 

 narrowly edged with rusty brown in a smooth regular pattern, 

 thus being distinguished from the broadly edged feathers of the 

 adult at that time of year. In this immature plumage, the differ- 



