FAUNA OF THE ALEUTIAN ISLANDS AND ALASKA PENINSULA 239 



The specimens just referred to here suggest the following dis- 

 tribution : L. t. tephrocotis is the more-inland form, occurring in 

 eastern Alaska and extending its range chiefly along the Brooks 

 Range ; littoralis is a coastal form, ranging through southeastern 

 Alaska and occupying the more southern mountain ranges, in- 

 cluding the Alaska Range, at least as far west as the Mount Mc- 

 Kinley region ; and kadiaka is a form intermediate between 

 littoralis and griseonucha, occupying the Kodiak-Afognak island 

 group. The specimen from Nushagak suggests an influence from 

 the Kodiak form, therefore we may assume that kadiaka also 

 occurs on nearby parts of Alaska Peninsula. 



Leucosticte tephrocotis griseonucha 



Attu : Kohl-grhd-ghuch 



Qidgax and Ulugasix (Jochelson) 

 Atka : Chd-nuh 



This well-known, large-sized rosy finch ranges throughout the 

 Aleutian Islands and probably over a large part of Alaska Penin- 

 sula. We found them to be common, and nesting, on Amak Island 

 on May 31, 1936 (where I had also observed them in 1925), and 

 we saw them among the alders at Chignik on May 15, and at 

 Belkofski on May 17. Laing (1925) also observed them near 

 Chignik, and, in 1911, Wetmore saw them with young at the 

 east base of Frosty Peak and at Unga, in the Shumagins. Schef- 

 fer noted them at Sanak Island in 1938. 



The distance that this form extends northeastward along the 

 Alaska Peninsula is not known, but Gabrielson obtained four 

 specimens on the Semidi Islands that are referable to griseonucha. 



For the most part, the Aleutian rosy finch is a beach bird, 

 spending much of its time among the boulders and the coastal 

 bluffs. But it also is found in the high interior of islands, es- 

 pecially where lava beds are present. It is fond of feeding about 

 buildings and trappers' huts. At Ikatan, Unimak Island, they 

 were common about the cannery buildings, and, on Amchitka 

 Island, these birds used some abandoned houses as roosting 

 places, entering through broken windows. Sometimes a bird 

 is trapped in this way, being unable to find the small hole through 

 which it entered, and, of course, eventually starves. 



In July, on Amchitka Island, the rosy finches were found to be 

 feeding on plant seeds, including those of Poa sp. and Alsine 

 sitchana. 



Reporting on Adak Island, Taber says, "These birds were pres- 

 ent throughout the winter, feeding on the heads of composites 

 which projected above the snow. Even after the heaviest snow- 



