THE MUSEUM. 



85 



case were any bones, beaks, claws or 

 other parts of the bird found. 



Now the question arises, how 

 came these feathers in this position.'' 

 They could not have been so dropped 

 by the living bird; nor would any bird 

 or animal have sufficient intelligence to 

 so arrange them. The most reason- 

 able conclusion seems to be that the 

 birds died and were buried by the ac- 

 cumulations above. But in this case 

 what has become of the remainder of 

 the bird? We know of no insect that 

 would devour all the bird except the 

 wings and tail feathers and leave those 

 intact. Had any animal eaten the re- 

 mainder the feathers must have been 

 displaced. Nor do we know of any 

 chemical agent which could have been 

 formed by the decomposition of the 

 mass or otherwise that would dissolve 

 the flesh, bones and small feathers and 

 have no effect upon the large ones. 

 The question remains unanswered and 

 we await replies. 



Meantime a specimen showing the 

 alternate layers and the feathers in the 

 positions as described has been placed 

 in the museum of the University of 

 Vermont where it may be seen by any 

 visitor. 



C. O. Ormsbee, 

 Montpelier, Vt. 



Walter F. Webb, Esq., Albion, N. Y. 



Dear Sir:— The sample copy of the Museum 

 just received, for which please accept my 

 best thanks. You must allow me to congrat- 

 ulate you for adding such a jewel to the study 

 of Natural Science. I will do my best, and 

 try and get some new subscribers. You can 

 consider me one for life. 



Yours Truly, 

 Jno. W. Daniels Jr. 

 Naturalist, 

 Lynchburg, Va. 



ARCTIC NOTES- 



On the Habitsof certain Rare Nor- 

 thern Birds in Commander 

 Islands and Kamtskat- 

 k.a» by Leonhard 

 Stejneger, 



Taken from his exceUent Report to the U. S. National 

 Museum, continued from December number. 



Red-backed Sandpiper. 

 Tringalpina pacifica. 



Several specimens were collected on 

 May 26th and 28th, '82, on Behring 

 Island, where they were evidently on 

 their spring imigration. It arrives 

 and departs with the other Sandpipers. 

 Does not breed. 



Greenshauk. 

 Lotanus ncbiilarius. 



Specimens collected, May 2d to 23d, 



1883. It occurs regularly on the 



'Islands in the spring but does not 



breed there as far as I know. 



Wandering Tattler. 



Hetcractitis incai)ius. 



This species comes to the islands dur- 

 ing the latter part of May, and may 

 then be met with on the stony beach, 

 close to the waters' Q^g&, in pairs or in 

 very small troups. At the time of 

 their arrival they are less shy than to- 

 taniue birds generally, but their con- 

 duct changes after awhile, so that I 

 only once, on Copper Island, in the 

 middle of July, observed a single spec- 

 imen during the summer, although I 

 feel suspicious they breed there. Its 

 habits are rather peculiar in many re- 

 spects, reminding one of the Oyster- 

 catcher. It carries its body much in 

 the same manner as Actitis niactila- 

 ria, but very seldom flirts its tail up 

 and down like the latter, nor has it 

 much of the peculiar movement of 

 the head and neck as the Spotted 



