1887.] Townsend on the Birds of Northern Alaska. I 1 



1SS6. The specimens examined from Eastern Kansas are nearly 

 all the true S. monticola, the coloration being fully as rich and 

 deep as that of the eastern specimen taken in Middlesex County, 

 Massachusetts, December 1, 1S82. I therefore enter the Western 

 Tree Sparrow as a winter resident ; abundant in Middle and 

 Western Kansas, and not uncommon in the eastern portion of the 

 State. The western specimens, however, that I have examined, 

 were all captured in the fall or early winter, and I should be led 

 to think it possible upon further examination, especially of the 

 birds in their spring plumage, might prove the paler form to be 

 the immature winter dress, were it not for the fact that Mr. Brew- 

 ster, in making his examination, had before him not only his own 

 large collection, but that in the National Museum, which must 

 have embraced specimens taken at different seasons of the year. 



Turdus ustulatus swainsonii {Cab.). Olive-backed 

 Thrush. — June 6, 1S86, I saw several of these birds in the tim- 

 ber skirting Crooked Creek, in the northern part of Meade Coun- 

 ty. They were probably migrants, but the date is so late in the 

 season that I think it worthy of mention. 



LIST OF THE MIDSUMMER BIRDS OF THE 

 KOVVAK RIVER, NORTHERN ALASKA. 



BY CHARLES H. TOWNSEND. 



As my 'Notes on the Natural History of Northern Alaska,' 

 forming part of the 'Report of the Arctic Cruise of the U. S. 

 Revenue Steamer Corwin,' recently ordered to be published by 

 Congress, will probably be several months in the hands of the 

 Public Printer, a list of the birds I found in those high latitudes 

 may be acceptable to the readers of 'The Auk.' 



The Kowak was explored by a party sent out from the 'Cor- 

 win,' in 18S5, in charge of Lieut. J. C. Cantwell, consisting 

 of Lieut. Cantwell, myself, two seaman, and several Eskimo 

 guides. We were on the river from the first of July until the 

 last of August, and were the first white men to reach the head- 



