iSSg.J Merriam <;// ///« Wing-feathers of the Willow Grouse. 201 



Passerculus sandwichensis alaudinus. This species, referred to as 

 probably common at Point Barrow, does not occur there. 



Asio accipitrinus. « Mr. Nelson says, "On the Alaskan coast of the 

 Arctic, it is found nearly if not quite to Point Barrow." It was not found 

 at Point Barrow. 



/Egialitis semipalmatus. This species was not seen, although Mr. 

 Nelson's remarks would lead to the inference that he saw a pair there in 

 1SS1. 



Ereunetes pusillus. This bird, which is said to breed at Point Bar- 

 row, only occurs in the autumn migrations, when large flocks of the 

 young appear among the mudholes at Elson Bay, moving southwest along 

 the coast. 



Numenius hudsonicus. Referred to as occurring " north to the vicin- 

 ity of Point Barrow." We did not see it, and the only species of Curlew 

 observed {N. borealis) was rare and irregular. 



Dafila acuta. Referred to as nesting " in the greatest abundance .... 

 to the farthest northern extreme of Alaska in the vicinity of Point Bar- 

 row." We found the bird comparatively rare and none breed. The 

 natives say they are abundant inland on the rivers. 



Nettion carolinensis. It does not reach Point Barrow, as Mr. Nelson 

 thought might be the case. 



Mergus serrator. Referred to as found "along the Alaskan coast of 

 the Arctic to Point Barrow." We neither saw nor obtained it. 



The following species, supposed by Mr. Nelson not to reach Point Bar- 

 row, were obtained by our party. 



Limosa lapponica novae-zelandiae. A few immature birds were obtained 

 in the autumn migrations. 



Grus canadensis (= fraterculus Cass.). These birds were seen and two 

 taken in June, 1SS3. 



Lampronetta fischeri. This species occurs sparingly with the other 

 Eiders in the great spring flights, and a few remain on land and undoubt- 

 edly breed, as a female was shot with an egg ready for lading in the 

 oviduct, and half-grown young were taken in August, 1SS3. 



Washington, D. C. 



CHANGE OF COLOR IN THE WING-FEATHERS 

 OF THE WILLOW GROUSE. 



BY C. HART MERRIAM, M. D. 



At the last meeting of the American Ornithologists' Union 

 Dr. Leonhard Stejneger exhibited the type specimen of 'A new- 

 subspecies of Willow Grouse from Newfoundland,' which he 

 named Lagopus alba alleiii. He characterized it as follows : 



