Recent Lih'nifuri 



307 



dendorlV's observations in the Taimur Peninsula. We know tliat tlie 

 Atlunto-i^lacial forms must meet their Pai-ifico-c^lacial n.ei<j;libors somc- 

 wliere on the coast in ciuestion, but just where we could only ,<;uess at. 

 Palmen's eight tables (appended between jip. 5()f) and 501) are here ol' the 

 greatest importance. 



But it would carry us too far were I to give a resume of all that is inter- 

 esting in his book. I shall only mention that it is divided into four parts, 

 the first of which treats of the localities in which the observations were 

 made, and 1 heir ph \'siographical I'haracter. The second, comprising the 

 bulk of the memoir, contains the obserxations, localities, technicalities, 

 etc., arranged under the head of each species, eighty of which are num- 

 bered as collected bv the 'Vega' Expedition. 'I'he thini part is tie\oted to 

 the changes in the bird life on the northern coast of the Tschuktschi 

 Peninsula during 1S79, ^vhile the fourth treats of the distribution of the 

 species over the entire Arctic province together with as^mopsis of the liter- 

 ature. Finally (pp. 501-51 1) there are some general remarks, with tables, 

 relating to the composition of the avifauna of the Tschuktschi Peninsula. 



Want of time and s|iace prevents me from going into detail, and when, 

 in the following, I attempt to make a few desultory remarks, it is because 

 they mav 1)C regarded as answers to cpu'stions raised by Palmen in 

 his paper, to which I might be regarded as the ]iro]ier res|)ondent. 



Palmen's doubt (p. 272, footnote) in regard to the statement made by 

 Nelson (Cruise of the Corwin, 1881, p. 62) that Mr. Dall obtained a speci- 

 men ct{ AntliHS fratcn^is at St. Michael's, Alaska, is fully justified, as the 

 specimen in question rcalh' is an A. rcrvintts. The former species has 

 not been found in Alaska. 



The remarks by Prof Palmen in regard to the correctness of referi-ing 

 the East Asiatic Dunlins to the American form Tri?iO(i alpiiin facijlcd' 

 has led me again to look into the question, and I can but state tliat after 

 having carefully' gone over the immense series of the U. S. National 

 Museum, which has been considerably increased since I identified my 

 Kamtschatkan specimens four years ago, I am still upholding that deter- 

 mination as correct. Palmen pays almost exclusive attention to the size 

 of the two alleged forms, but it is quite plain that in birds of such variabil- 

 ity of size as sliown by the ]~)unlin this character can onl>- be one 01 

 secondary consideration. The West-pal.oarctic form, T. alfina tyfica, 

 differs clearly in coloration from the bird inhabiting both sides of the 

 Pacific. 



The latter is brighter above, and usually more red ; the white on face 

 and neck is purer, the black streaks and spots smaller, ami the black patch 

 on the belly purer and better defined. But there is also an average dif- 

 ference in size between tlie two forms, for in the American subspecies the 

 wing varies between iii and 126 mm. and the exposed culmen between 

 35 and 45 mm. while the corresponding range in the typical form seems to 

 be 109 to 117 mm. and 27 to 35 mm. With the exception of one specimen 

 (No. 89,180) the Bering Island birds come within the former limits, and in 

 coloration they agree minutelj- with the brightest American skins. In 



