ORNITHOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS. 207 



as I am aware, so that the following description may not be out of 

 place : 



^ad. U. S. Nat. Mus. jVo. 92726; L. Stejneger No. 1876. {Bering Island, Kamtschatka, 

 January 19, 1883.) 

 General color of upper surface clear plumbeous, darker, nearly blackish slate on the 

 interacapuleum, the transition to the lighter color of the lower back and the uropy- 

 gium formed bj the light margins and cross-bands on the posterior interscapulars ; 

 the crown and nape are considerably darker than the lower back, but still distinctly 

 plumbeous, and not blackish, with well defined, narrow, black, shaft-streaks ; lower 

 back rather indistinctly barred with dark plumbeous, the bars becoming deeper and 

 more distinct on the uropygium and upper tail-coverts, and only half as broad as the 

 light interspaces. Upper surface of the wings, primaries excepted, anteriorly black- 

 ish slate, gradually turning into plumbeous posteriorly, harmonizing with the adjacent 

 parts of the back ; the lesser wing-coverts, consequently, are nearly uniform blackish 

 slate with slightly paler margins ; those following have narrow, light cross-bars in 

 addition, while on the larger coverts and the secondaries the light and the dark bars 

 are of about equal breadth ; primaries and primary coverts black, externally with a 

 plumbeous tinge, the latter ones, as also the inner ones, of the former, narrowly tipped 

 with whitish; the inner webs of the primaries with withish (more or less mottled with 

 dusky), lense-shaped cross-spots, except on the terminal one-fourth. Tail light plum- 

 beous, darkening somewhat toward the tip and covered by distinct blackish bars, gen- 

 erally narrower than the light interspaces; tips dirty whitish. Lower surface white, 

 from the breast backward lightly tinged with plumbeous and with a general, but faint, 

 wash of buff all over ; chin and throat nearly immaculate, oulj^a few black, hair-fine 

 shaft-streaks on the latter; on the jugulum these streaks become gradually heavier 

 and more numerous, and most of them widening at the lower end into small " tear- 

 drops; " breast, sides, and flanks transversely barred with blackish, the bars on the 

 breast, however, not being continuous, as they consist of series of transverse spots of 

 a somewhat cordate form, near the tip of the feathers, but not reaching the edges; 

 the width of these bars averages 3 to 4""™, and the white interspaces 4 to 5™™ ; further 

 back, on belly, thighs, crissums, and under tail-coverts the dark cross-lines gradually 

 become more plumbeous, more distinct, and narrower, the black lines averaging about 

 2™™, the light interspaces 4 to S'"™. Under wing-coverts and axillaries barred with 

 very sharply defined black and white bands of nearly equal width, except on the axil- 

 laries, where the white predominates. Mustache, subloral region, the feathers bor- 

 dering the naked eye- space, and a postocular streak slaty black ; subocular and auric- 

 ular region exactly like the top of the head, the dark shaft-stripes beiug a trifle less 

 distinct perhajis, connecting with the white of the throat behind the mustache. 

 For colors of bill, feet, and iris, as well as dimensions, see under "List of specimens 

 obtained." Second primary longest, first one scarcely longer than third ; only the 

 first with inner web emarginated. 



The young female, No. 92723, agrees in every particular with the type 

 (U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 12022), the brown color beiug only somewhat 

 darker, which is probably due to the fact that the type is mounted and 

 has been on exhibition for many years. 



Two young specimens had been collected on Bering Island during the 

 winter previous to my arrival there, one, the male, belonging to Dr^ 

 Dybowski, the other, the female, to Mr. Grebuitski. With the kind 

 permission of these gentlemen 1 made an accurate description of the 

 two birds, which is here appended, the dimensions being incorporated 

 with the " List of specimens obtained." 



