BIRDS. 1^9 



south. It is fouud along the barreu Arctic coast as far as Poiut Barrow, aud theuce east and south 

 through the fur couutries it is a commou bird, exteudiug its range north to the eigthtieth parallel 

 and beyond along the coast of Greenland aud the adjoining American shore. Upon the Asiatic 

 shore these birds were observed at Plover Bay, and to the uorthward beyond East Cape on the 

 Arctic coast, and several parties were seen in the vicinity of Wrangel Island, whence they came 

 and circled about the vessel several times. Stejneger found the species scarce on the Commander 

 Islands in the breeding season, but numerous later iu the summer. 



It arrives in the vicinity of Saint Michaels from the 15th to 20th or 23d of May, according to 

 the season, aud is found scattered about the newly opened ponds and mud-flats, where it remains in 

 small numbers to breed. It is usually much noisier than the Black-headed species, aud utters 

 several loud, ringing notes when iu parties passing from one feeding ground to the other, and 

 especially when disturbed. They remain until the last of August and into September, when 

 they gradually straggle away. They also pass to the south along the Asiatic coast in large num- 

 bers, being repeatedly recorded from various Japanese and Chinese localities by the different 

 naturalists who have visited those countries. It is fouud among the islands of the Southern 

 Pacific to Ifew Zealand, and a male has been taken on that island in the breeding plumage on the 

 1st of April. Among the natives of certain islands Dr. Finsch (Ibis, 1881) found these birds kept 

 for pets, singly or in pairs, in small cuji-shaped cages by the natives, who also used then as fight- 

 ing cocks, matching strange birds with each other almost exactly in the manner done elsewhere 

 with the commou game chicken. This pugnacity is a trait not usually known, and is one of which 

 my field experience with this bird, often iu the breeding season, had given me no inkling. 



Two females obtained at the Yukon mouth on May 19 and 20 have a white throat-patch 

 and a glossy black breast, the black reaching up on the sides of the neck to bill and to the eye : 

 thence from the lores to the upper mandible inclosing the loral white spot. From this black area 

 a bar extends to the nape, leaving the white ear-coverts aud the supraloral line which extends to 

 the nape aud thence across the frontal region. The back is irregularly marked with a mixture of 

 black rusty or reddish brown and dull ashy yellowish brown with white edgings. The pattern of 

 wing coloration is the ordinary one. The top of the head is streaked with black and grayish brown. 

 The legs are dull orange-red. Iris very dark brown. The full-grown young of the year, taken 

 at Saint Michaels the last of July, were in the following state of plumage: The white throat-patch 

 is present as iu the adult, and the dark breast aud neck area of the adult are outlined iu the 

 young by irregularly -defined blackish brown feathers, edged and washed with yellowish and 

 grayish, which extend over the entire side of the head. The lores are pale brown. Crown light- 

 brown in front, darker posteriorly, and with light-brown edges to the feathers of the neck. Back 

 and rump blackish brown, with a grayish olive gloss, and profusely edged with dull yellowish 

 brown or bufty, the latter most marked on the tertials and wing-coverts. Tips of tlie two middle 

 tail-feathers buif. Iris very dark brown ; legs dull fleshy, with an orange shade. 



A female from Saint Michaels, taken in June, is remarkably dark, having the crown and 

 entire dorsal surface, except the white spots on the rump, covered with blackish, only marked 

 here aud there with reddish and rusty spots. Even the wing-coverts are much darker than 

 usual, and the white markings on the head are lunited and obscured in places. 



Arenaeia melanocephala (Vig.). Black Turnstone (Esk. Tiibc-attt-tuk). 



This Turnstone is far more plentiful on the coast of Bering Sea than the preceding species, 

 and is one of the most abundant waders from Sitka north along the mainland coast of the Terri- 

 tory. I fouud it also along the coast of the Arctic from Bering Straits to the vicinity of Point 

 Barrow during the cruise of the Corwin, and it was also observed sparingly on Saint Lawrence 

 Island aud along the Asiatic shore on a few occasions. It breeds among the brackish pools on 

 Saint Michaels Island, and is found scattered over the wet flats everywhere. It is one of the 

 commonest birds of this locality, its sharp, clear note breaking the silence wherever one turns his 

 steps among the pools and marshy places. It has a habit of circling around the intruder, during 

 the nesting season, with a fine, clear, peeping cry like the syllables ti-eef, tceet, tooiceef, as it 

 moves restlessly about; now stopping a moment on a slight knoll, theu running hastily along the 

 S. Mis. 156 17 



