242 



Bird - Lore 



seemed to be taking a reluctant farewell, expressing appreciation for food and 

 water furnished during the season. 



White Gulls were common all summer and one Brant was seen. A man from 

 the camp told of seeing a pair of birds in his yard, that from his description 

 were thought to be Killdeers, and upon being shown the pictures of that 

 species, said that was the bird, without question. 



Now, in December, we have with us a flock of Chickadees, but they are 

 never still long enough for us to determine which kind; some Spruce Hens, 

 three Ravens, and a Hawk Owl, while in the distance we hear what is supposed 

 to be a Snowy Owl, but of this I am not certain. A Woodpecker was heard 

 but not seen. 



On September lo, 1919, a female Hummingbird came to this station and 

 was with us three days, darting in and out among the petunias and pansies 

 right under the windows of the house. The evening of the third day it flew 

 into the greenhouse door and directly across to the glass on the opposite side. 

 I picked it up from the sill where it had fallen and it was held in the palm of 

 my hand from 6 o'clock until 10, without moving, when it tu ned on its side 

 and was gone. Apparently there was no suffering, it was simply stunned. The 

 next morning, as far as the eye could see, all outdoors was a mass of ice and 

 sleet, and it seemed a mercy the little wanderer had perished so easily the 

 night before. One of the oldest pioneers here tells me he has seen Humming- 

 birds on the Yukon and that the natives report seeing them occasionally. 



