24O Nelson, Counter-Notes on Alaskan Bints. [July 



by me in my notes upon the 'Birds of Bering Sea and the Arctic 

 Ocean.'* Mr. Murdoch's strictures apply wholly to certain species 

 which I claimed to occur at, or in the vicinity of, Point Barrow, 

 and his tone would seem to imply that his residence for two years 

 a few miles south of the Point proper has given him a complete 

 knowledge of the birds of that vicinity, so that former or later 

 observers must revise their lists to conform with his or else risk 

 having their statements summarily discredited. I think any 

 experienced field ornithologist will admit that Mr. Murdoch's 

 implied claim of having exhausted the possible avi-fauna of a 

 locality in two years' residence is the best work on record. I 

 supposed myself to be a tolerably thorough worker in the field, 

 but I yield the palm here. During over four years' residence on 

 the Alaskan Coast south of Mr. Murdoch's location, I found that 

 each succeeding season brought me a number of additions to mv 

 list of species observed and taken, and four years' longer residence, 

 would no doubt have continued to add to my list. Should I 

 adopt Mr. Murdoch's plan of discrediting everything not taken 

 by myself with twice two years' residence at a locality, I should 

 reject Cyanec7ila succ/ca from the birds of St. Michaels, and 

 although two specimens of sEgialitcs ?nongolicus were taken on 

 Choris Peninsula by the English ship 'Plover,' yet, as on my visit 

 of several days to that locality I found none, I should reject it. 

 Such a method, however, is scarcely a scientific one, and the fol- 

 lowing notes in reply to Mr. Murdoch's criticism will show, I 

 believe, that in every instance the notes upon the species as printed 

 in my works under consideration should stand as they are pub- 

 lished. 



^Egiothus linaria.— On August 17, 1S81, we landed from the 'Corwin' 

 at the extreme end of Point Barrow, and during our visit saw flying about 

 among the native huts, or perching on the numerous wooden frameworks 

 scattered about, quite a number of Redpolls, and among the adults 

 were seen both the light and dark-colored forms with which I had become 

 so familiar on the coast further south. The birds were very tame, and at 

 the time I was perfectly satisfied of the identity of the two forms, and see 

 no cause for altering my opinion because Mr. Murdoch did not take them 

 afterwards. 



Passerculus sandwichensis alaudinus. — Stated by me to occur "all along 

 the coast of Bering Sea and at least to Point Hope and probably to Point 

 Barrow." This bird certainly occurs at Point Hope where it was seen by 



♦Cruise of the Revenue Steamer 'Corwin' in Alaska and the N. W. Arctic Ocean in 

 1881. Washington, 1883. 



