BIRDS. 149 



are of very uncommon occurrence along tbe sbore of Bering Sea, on Norton Sound, but they are far 

 more numerous on tbe soutlieasteru coast of the Territory. Although in the interior this bird 

 extends its range within the Arctic Circle it is not found on the Alaskan shore of the Arctic 

 Ocean. At the Yukon mouth, in May, 1879, a pair of these birds was seen hovering over the 

 open places in the ice which still covered this stream. In British America Eichardson notices the 

 strange fellowship these birds keep, nesting close to the home of the Bald Eagle, and apparently 

 living upon the best of terms with this robber. 



The Fish Hawk lias been recorded also from the eastern shore of Asia, including East China, 

 Japan, Formosa, and other points to the south and north. These Eastern Asiatic birds are said 

 to differ from those taken in Europe, and the northwest coast bird from America may be found to 

 vary from its eastern representative. It is a point worthy of attention from any naturalist who 

 may have the opportunity to secure birds from the northwest coast, and to compare them with 

 the eastern bird. 



Asio ACCiPiTRiNUS (Pall.). Short-eared Owl (Esk. Mlng-loche-u-iil). 



My first acquaintance with this bird in Alaska was made on May 21, 1877, while stopping at 

 Uualaska. Here, one evening, just as the long twilight was drawing to a close, and I was making 

 my way back to the village from a hunting excursion, my attention 'was drawn to two birds which 

 appeared to be pursning each other in sport over the adjacent hill sides. As I approached 

 they ceased their erratic flight, alighted and watched my movements. A few moments later 

 one of them gave a rather loud cry, which sounded like the syllables hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo, uttered 

 riipidly in a higher key than the note of the Horned Owl and in a much less sonorous tone. 

 These birds were very shy, and it was impossible to get within gunshot. Later, in the vicinity of 

 Saint Michaels, it was found to be a regular and common migrant and rather common sum- 

 mer resident, and skins were brought me by the fur traders from various points on the Yukon ; the 

 Eskimo brought skins also from Selawik Lake, near Kotzebue Sound, the summer of 1880. Accord- 

 ing to Turner, it is an uncommon resident of the Near Islands ; it is also found on the Commander 

 group. 



On the Aleutian chain, where it is frequently found, Mr. Dall reports it as nesting in burrows 

 on the hill-sides, and tells us that these burrows are usually about 2 feet deep and lined with grass 

 and feathers, and that the birds have a habit of sitting by their entrances during the day. While 

 the same naturalist was descending the Yukon, one of these birds followed his boat for a consid- 

 erable time until the superstition of the natives became excited and they killed it. He informs us 

 that the Indians consider its liver as a love-philter if given by a woman, but a deadly poison if given 

 by a man, and the charm is broken if discovered before being eaten. The Short-eared Owl is the 

 commonest bird of prey found on the shore of Norton Sound in summer, and is sometimes very 

 numerous. It is never very shj^ there, and has a great amount of curiosity. 



On one occasion I was lying prone in a bunch of grass while shooting geese and saw one 

 of these birds approach. I remained perfectly quiet and it alighted close beside me and began 

 to gaze about, keeping up a continual blinking with its large round eyes, in the most comical 

 way, moving its eyelids with a peculiar quick motion as though they were worked by springs. At 

 the same time it kept turning its head watchfully from side to side. I made a slight noise, 

 which caused the bird to arise and hover directly over my face so close that the fanning of its 

 wings was felt. It hovered there nearly a minute trying to understand the strange object below 

 until I broke the spell by a shout and threw up my arms, ujion which the owl dashed oil' in wild 

 irregular flight as if its wits were completely scattered. To account for the stupidity of this owl, 

 and for its peculiarly-shaped head, the natives have a legend that the mun-Mchc-icul; was a little 

 girl living on the Lower Yukon with her parents ; but from some cause she was turned into a bird 

 with a very long bill, very much like a curlew's, and as she started up in a wild confused way to get 

 out of her village after the change, she flew plump into the side of a house, compressing her bill into 

 a very short one, and flattening her face ; and so it has remained to this day, as any one may s-;^e 

 by examining the bird. 



