66 Sheldon, Birds Observed near Mt. McKinley, Alaska. [f&n 



LIST OF BIRDS OBSERVED ON THE UPPER TOKLAT 

 RIVER NEAR MT. McKINLEY, ALASKA, 1907-1908. 



BY CHARLES SHELDON. 



The birds noted in this list were observed incidentally while 

 hunting and studying the habits of some of the larger animals at 

 the head of the Middle Fork of Toklat River, Alaska, practically 

 at the north base of Mount McKinley in the main Alaskan range, 

 latitude about 63° 30'. The river has its sources in the glaciers 

 of the main range and flows through four high ranges before it 

 emerges outside, where the main body of the timber ends. From 

 its entrance into the outside range, however, there is a fringe of 

 spruces on both sides from two to three hundred yards wide ex- 

 tending up the mountain slopes and thus continuing to within a 

 few miles of the source. I built my cabin in the extreme upper end 

 of this tongue of timber, 10 miles above the point where the river 

 emerges from the outside range. The birds mentioned in this list 

 were observed at and above that point, mostly above all timber. 

 The variety of bird life in the region is not great. I arrived about 

 the first of August, 1907, and left June 11, 1908. Careful attention 

 was given to recording the spring arrivals, but the fall departures, 

 in most cases, were not observed. By the latter part of September, 

 1907, all birds but the residents had gone, except in the few cases 

 mentioned. The dates given show when the bird was first seen in 

 the spring of 1908 or last seen in the fall of 1907. Thirty miles 

 below, in the vast timbered area, bird life may be more varied and 

 abundant. 



The river is a silt-laden stream, dashing swiftly and often in 

 several channels through a broad glacial valley with wide bars 

 extending from a quarter to a half mile on each side. In some 

 places willows grow abundantly; in others there is grass, but most 

 of the country is bare. The mountains are high and rugged, with 

 much snow on the north slopes the year round; they are usually 

 bordered by narrow rolling hills, all above timber, and contain 

 numerous small lakes of a few acres only. The trees are spruces 

 and willows ; willows often extend well up on the slopes and up the 



