CRUISE OF STEAMER CORWIN IN THE ARCTIC OCEAN. al 
chirp common to a host of their kind at this season, and they carry with them but little of the 
interest attending their spring advent. In the lower Mackenzie River region and to the east these 
are abundant birds, and are said to render the twilight hours of night during the short summer 
melodious with their songs. Richardson often complained of their disturbing his rest by their 
persistent singing while he was journeying down this river. On the Aleutian and other islands of 
Bering Sea and the Asiatic Coast this is an unknown bird. It is the only form of white-crowned 
sparrow found in the territory of Alaska and throughout the North. The common bird of the 
Eastern United States does not reach these high latitudes. 
ZONOTRICHIA CORONATA (Pall.) Baird. 
(39.) THE GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW. 
A rather rare summer visitant on the shores of Norton Sound, where it breeds. Its favorite 
haunts are the same as those of the preceding species. In the fall young and old consort with 
intermedia again on the feeding ground about the houses. Upon the Aleutian and other islands 
in Bering Sea this bird is unknown, nor have I any record of it along the coast north of Norton 
Sound. 
SPIZELLA MONTANA (Forst.) Ridgw. 
(40.) THE TREE SPARROW. 
This is perhaps the commonest species of Sparrow frequenting the bushes along the Northern 
Alaskan Coast. It arrives early in May, or even the last days of April, upon the shores of 
Norton Sound, and, like the White-crowned Sparrow, announces its presence by first appearing 
about human habitations. At this time it especially favors such weed patches as have withstood 
the storms of winter; the convenient shelter thus formed making a favorite gathering place, 
where the lisping chirp of the Tree Sparrow can be heard at all times, and from which they make 
excursions to the garden spot by the kitchen or come into the yard. They are always timorous, 
however, and ready to dive into the fastnesses of their lurking place at the first alarm. Before 
the snow has left the thickets where they make their nests, they have taken possession as if in 
anxiety to commence their housekeeping. In the course of time the snow disappears; the sturdy 
alders begin to open their buds and take on a shade of green, while about their roots busy family 
groups are at work upon the soft grassy nest, which soon contains their pretty complement o 
eggs. All goes well, unless some wandering naturalist breaks rudely in upon the happy pair and 
leaves a scene of ruin behind. 
Early in July the parents have a brood of full-grown young, which they straightway introduce 
to the vicinity of the houses, where we soon find them in full possession of the outworks of the 
Fort and ready to join in friendly companionship with the White-crowns and young Lapland 
Long Spurs. The motley crew associate in the most congenial way during this season of plenty, 
and a plebeian crew they make, all clad in dingy browns and dull buffy grays, each apparently 
without an object in life but to gorge himself on the abundance of food which the plants begin to 
shower down. Ere long, however, the cold storms of autumn announce the approach of winter 
and send many of the more sensitive off to a milder climate. September passes, the frosts and 
cold are more severe, and as this month ends and October begins the last of the gormands pass 
on to a sunnier clime. 
This species breeds on the shores of Kotzebue Sound, as far north as bushes are found. I 
have no record of its occurrence on the adjacent Siberian shore, although it is undoubtedly found 
on the Chukchi Peninsula. It can scarcely be expected to occur upon any of the islands in 
Bering Sea from their bleak and unsuitable character. 
JUNCO HYEMALIS (Linn.) Scl. 
(41.) THE BLACK Snow Birp. 
This is perhaps the most uncommon sparrow found upon the American shore of Bering Sea, 
and can be noted merely as a straggler from the interior of pretty regular occurrence in spring. 
