FAUNA OF THE ALEUTIAN ISLANDS AND ALASKA PENINSULA 219 



ries from interior and southeastern Alaska. In this study, I 

 was again impressed with the importance of restricting com- 

 parisons to comparable seasonal plumages. Neglect of this pro- 

 cedure can lead to erroneous conclusions. 



Of the series available, Osgood obtained 2 from Nushagak on 

 May 28, 1911, and G. D. Hanna obtained the others in 1912, 2 

 from Doonochchogaweet Mountains, 1 from Kakwok River, 45 

 miles from its mouth, and 8 from 80 miles up the Kakwok 

 River. Gabrielson obtained 2 from Brooks Lake. These all 

 appear to be P. h. hudsonicus, the form occurring in interior 

 Alaska, though some of these are not typical of true hudsonicus 

 from interior Alaska and Canada. At least seven of them, from 

 Nushagak and Kakwok River, appear to be a little paler than 

 normal, especially on the crown. On the back, too, the general 

 tone is more plumbeous, rather than the usual olive brown. These 

 are in spring plumage, therefore the differences noted may be 

 seasonal ones. At any rate, the series is referable to typical 

 hudsonicus rather than to columbianus, and it furnishes evidence 

 that the range of hudsonicus extends southward to the base of 

 Alaska Peninsula. 



Parus hudsonicus columbianus 



Although this form has not been identified on the Alaska Penin- 

 sula proper, there is a specimen taken by Osgood at Tyonek, in 

 Cook Inlet. Another specimen, taken by Osgood on July 31, 1902, 

 at Lake Clark (though in badly worn plumage and hard to place), 

 was referred to columbianus on the basis of some new plumage 

 that was coming in. Gabrielson (1944) reported specimens of 

 columbianus from Kodiak Island and Brooks Lake. 



Family CERTHIIDAE 



Certhia familiaris: Brown Creeper 



At present, the brown creeper has not been recorded from the 

 Alaska Peninsula proper; however, it occurs on some parts of the 

 adjacent mainland. On February 4, 1922, I obtained a specimen 

 at Susitna. Bischoff obtained a specimen at Fort Kenai, May 6, 

 1869; C. H. Townsend took a specimen in Cook Inlet, April 8, 

 1892; and Osgood obtained another specimen from Hope, Cook 

 Inlet, August 31, 1900. Then, on June 13, 1944, Howell (1948) 

 saw two brown creepers at Bell's Flats, Kodiak Island. Lack of 

 specimens from the geographical area covered in this report 

 makes it impossible to identify the subspecies of brown creeper 

 that breeds in the eastern portions. 



