66 CRUISE OF STEAMER CORWIN IN THE ARCTIC OCEAN. 



west of Oniialaska. At this latter place its occurrence is governed largely by the cbaracter of 

 the Season; a pleasant s])ring brings them to nest about the village, while au inclement season 

 prevents a single one from making its appearance. 



The Ilirundo Unalascw (iinelin refers without question to this species, as there is notliiug else 

 to which it can be referred occurring at Ounalaska. As before remarked, in some seasons not a 

 swallow is seen at Ounalaska, again they are common; but thus far the researches in that region 

 have revealed uo species of swallow except this which visits this chain of islands. 



TACHYCINETA BICOLOR (Vieill.) Caban. 



(27.) The White-Bellied Swallow. 



The present bird occurs quite commonly along the shores of Norton Sound during moderately 

 pleasant days the last of May, and coincident with the main (light of the lilackbraut it hunts back 

 and forth through the marshy flats and over the bare hillsides, but is rarely found in the settlements. 

 After a very short stay it leaves for the wooded country in the interior, or on the lower parts of the 

 larger streams where it breeds. In August it is again seen like various other species straggling 

 along the coast. It haunts the vicinity of settlements at this season and may be seen generally 

 n companionship with its cousin, the Barn Swallow, for a day or two, but rarely remains until the 

 latter starts in its southern migration. I fiud no record of either this or the preceding extending 

 its range to the Asiatic coast, nor are they known, to my knowledge, on any of the islands in the 

 Bering Straits region. 



FRIXGILLID.E. FINCHES. 



PINICOLA ENUNCLEATOR (Linn.) Vieill, 



(28.) The Pine Grosbeak. 



An extremely rare straggler to the unwooded shore of Bering Sea. About the head of Norton 

 Sound, however, where spruce forests reach the shore, they are not uncommon. Here, as elsewhere, 

 in the wooded country it is resident. For a discussion of the geographical variation of this bird 

 I must refer those interested to the more general work I am preparing on the birds of the Territory 

 of Alaska, as lack of space forbids taking up the subject here. 



LOXIA CURVIROSTRA AMERICANA (Wils.) Coues. 



(29.) The Amekican Crossbill. 



An excessively rare species on the shores of Bering Sea, I know of its occurrence there in 

 but a single instance; this was a specimen taken at Saint Michael's in winter by Mr. Turner. It is 

 of excessive rarity in the Yukon region. The Saint Michael's specimen is identical with others 

 obtained at Sitka and in the surrounding region, which ajtpear to average considerably smaller 

 than the birds of the interior and eastern portion of the coiitiuent. Its occurrence to the north of 

 the Alaskan Peninsula can be looked upon as very exceptional. 



LOXIA CUCOPTERA Gm. 



(.'50.) The White-Winged Cros.sbill. 



Although this species is seen much more frequently on the coast than the former, yet it is also 

 a rare bird there except where, as about the head of Norton Sound, the forest of the interior 

 approaches the coast. In the interior, however, this is one of the commonest and most familiar 

 birds, and is one of the few hardy species which braves the rigorous winters in this region. During 

 this latter season they may be found moving in small parties through the tree-tops, or in scattered 

 pairs during the summer attending to the duties of incubation and rearing their young. Neither 

 this nor the i)receding species is known to occur upon any of the islands of Bering Sea or upon 

 any part of the Siberian shore. Tliis might be anticipated from a knowledge of the unsuitable 

 character of these portions of the region in question. 



