CRUISE OF STEAMER CORWIN IN THE ARCTIC OCEAN. 



59 



CINCLIDiE. WATER OUZELS. 

 CINCLUS MEXICANUS Swains. 



(5.) The American Water Ouzel. 



Throughout the year, along the sparkling streams which descend in a series of cascades from 

 the summits of the mountains ou the Aleutian Islands, the cheerful presence and strange habits 

 of this odd little bird animate the silent and otherwise lifeless gorges an.l ravines furrowing their 

 steep sCr It braves the wild tempestuous winters of this part of the North Pacific and Bering 

 Sea, and is found farther north wintering even on streams flowing into the Arctic Ocean. 



This half aquatic thrush is found about open spots on streams flowing into the head of No ton 

 and Kotzebue Sounds, where it braves the severest temperatures of the harsh winters, ^^^^'^ 

 of the intense cold prevailing for weeks at a time. It searches busily lor its food m the icy 

 wate's of the swiftly running streams by whose mossy banks, overhung with stunted pines and 



willows, it rears its young in summer. ,•/,,,,• t i 



It uuknowuwhethtn-this or its closely allied Asiatic relatives is found in Chukch, Land. 

 Butnei^ther form is found ou the islamls of Bering Sea, except in the Aleutian Cham, nor were 

 any seen at Plover Bay or East Cape, where, however, the conditions are scarcely favorable for 



their presence. 



SAXICOLID^. STONE CHATS. 



CYANECULA SBNCICA (Linn.) Boehm. 



(6.) The Blue Throated Warbler. 



The presence of this oddly marked songster here is owing solely to the ««<'-;7;«^«^;7^^;f 

 specimens at Saint Michael's, Norton Sound, where several were takea by Dr. Adams in June, 



'The various authorities who have written on the habits of the Swedish nightingale, either as 

 seen in Northern Europe or Siberia, agree in giving it rare powers of song especial yiu 

 mhnickiug the notes of other birds. So varied and peculiar are its capabilities in this respect that 

 we can but regret that its presence on American shores is due to mere accident. 



The bird though quite distinct in several characteristics, especially of color and pattern of body, 

 iscW a lied to ico/., as it po.ssesses the peculiar distribution of color on the ..ul feathers 

 •xlrno^ recisely as in th s later genus, and other marks of resemblance. I do not know of its 

 olrreLe in Northeastern Siberia^ although its summer distribution is subarctic, and it has been 

 found on the Lower Lena and in various parts of Middle Siberia. 



SAXICOLA CBNANTHE (Linn.) Bechst, 



(7.) The Stone Chax. 

 The Wheat Bar, although long known as a rather common summer resident in the northeast 

 em corner of America and in Greenland, has but recently been found in Alaska, where Mr. Ball 

 Ts the first to mKUt. He obtained a munber of specimens in the middle Yukon region since 

 wh c time Dr T H. Bean has found it not uncommon on the Arctic Coast from Kotzebue Sound 

 r! rl isb mie and the writer has taken it in the fall and spring ou the shores oi Norton Soiind 

 S S 'nd:^;"^:!l a^Itive brought a sUin of one of these birds on board the Corwin at King 



^"=^t.;:ii;r::^:::;::^r::^:HLrr bl^ ^ to be considered a somewhat regular visitant to 

 some pait if not all of Northern Alaska. It is very erratic in its occurrence, however, and 

 where quite common one season may not be found at all the next. 



In the summer of 18S0, Dr. Bean found the bird not uncommon in the lauge .pst given. 

 In ttie summer oi > j^ (Jovmn and failed to find a single 



