BIRDS. 155 



by tbe characters given. From tlie material I bave been able to examine these two owls appear 

 to form very good races. Tbe only record of the presence of the American form in the Old World 

 appears to be that of its capture ia England. 



SiTRNiA ULULA CAPAEOcii (MiUl.). Amciican llawk Owl. 



This is perhaps the most abundant resident bird of prey throughout the entire wooded part 

 of iS'ortbern Alaska. It is rather closely limited to tbe region of spruce and pine forests of tbe 

 interior, and occurs along the open coasts of the Arctic and Bering Sea merely as a straggler, and 

 it is unknown from the various islands of Bering Sea. It is found also along tbe southeast coast in 

 the Sitkan region. On May 5, 1868, Mr. Dall secured six eggs of this bird from the top of an old 

 birch stub about 15 feet high in the vicinity of Nulato, on tbe Lower Yukon. Tbe eggs were laid 

 directly upon tbe wood and the male was sitting. When be climbed to tbe nest the sitting bird 

 dashed at him and knocked off bis cap, thus showing their fierce and bold character, which is 

 shared by their Old World representative. Tbe eggs were smooth and clear white. 



Their food consists mainly of mice, and the bird itself forms food for the old Indians of tbe 

 Yukon. Although it is very rare on tbe sea-coast, yet stray individuals make their appearance 

 now and then. According to tbe evidence of various authors these birds nest from April until 

 June. 



There is considerable variation in the amount of white marking, and one Saint Michaels skin 

 secured by me is about midway between tbe two recognized forms. 



Ceeyle AiCYON (Linn.). Belted Kingfisher. 



Several specimens of this bird were brought me from the Lower Y'ukou, where it is a regular 

 summer visitant. It is found along the entire course of this river, reaching the shores of Bering 

 Sea from the Y'ukon mouth north to the bead of ISTorton Bay, It has been taken at Sitka and fre- 

 fiuents all the clear streams of the interior, nesting, as it does elsewhere, in a deep burrow in a bank. 

 Towards tbe end of June Mr. Dall saw a male bird digging short tunnels into a bank near its nest. 

 These tunnels were not deep and apparently were made as a pastime by the bird, which was seen 

 to use them only upon one occasion when he entered one to devour a fish which he had just caught. 

 Tbe Eskimo brought me Kingfishers from several places on the shore of Norton Sound, and the 

 Eskimo of the north coast brought specimens of the Kingfisher to MacFarlane from tbe shore of 

 tbe Arctic, between tbe Mackenzie and Anderson Rivers. From its mode of life, however, it is 

 forced to retreat before tbe fast-closing streams of the far north as winter advances, yet the King- 

 fisher can brave a very low temperature provided its food supply is not shut oft'. I bave seen 

 these birds along Western rivers among the Rocky Mountains in January, when a deep laj'er of 

 snow covered the ground and weighted dowu the bushes overhanging the streaois. Even ou tbe 

 Saskatchewan it holds its own until into October, but is forced south when winter sets in. It 

 does not appear to be a bird much addicted to wandering beyond its usual range, which is pretty 

 wide, as it extends to the shores of Hudson's Bay and thence across to the vicinity of Bering Straits, 

 and from tbe coast of tbe Arctic Ocean south to tbe tropics in winter. The Californian and west 

 coast birds are said to be larger than those found in tbe interior and Eastern United States. It is 

 probably this form which extends its range to Sitka during tbe summer and perhaps even winters 

 along tbe sea, which there is never frozen. 



Dryobates villosus (Linn.). Hairy Woodpecker. 



Strangely enough, although the distribution of tbe ijresent bird is eastern, and although in 

 Northern Alaska and the interior of British America it is replaced by a large northern form, yet 

 tbe typical villosus also occurs in British Columbia and thence north along the southeastern 

 coast of Alaska ; how abundantly it is found there is not known. It is jirobably this form which is 

 recorded by Hartlaub under the name Plcvs riUosvs harrisii And., as seen in great numbers around 

 Portage Bay the last of August. 



