68 CEUISE OF STEAMER CORWIN IN THE ARCTIC OCEAN. 



themselves continually at home and receivinfra hearty welcome for their cheerino- presence. The 

 breast is now a beautiful pea(!h blossom i)ink and the crown shining scarlet. How this bird came 

 to bear these beautiful colors is told in one of the Indian myths whicli is deemed of sufficient 

 interest to relate; and, after the manner of the tales of our childhood, it bejjins thus: 



Very long ago the whole of mankind were living in cheerless obscurity. Endless night hid 

 the face of the world, and men were without tiie power of making a tire, as all the fire of the world 

 was in the possession of a, ferocious bear living in a far otf country to the north. This bear 

 guarded his charge with unceasing vigilance, and so frightful was his appearance that no man 

 dared attemi)t to obtain any of the precious substance. While the poor Indians were sorrowing 

 over their misfortunes, the Red Poll, which at that time was a plain little wood sparrow, dressed 

 in ordinary dull brown, heard their plaint — for in those days men and beasts understood one 

 another — and his heart was touched. He prepared himself for a long journey and set out toward 

 the lodge of the cruel bear. After many adventures on the long road which he traversed between 

 his starting-point and the object of his journey, he at length reached the place and by a successful 

 ruse stole a living ember from the perpetual fire which glowed close under the breast of the savage 

 guardian and flew away with it in his beak. The glow of the coal was reflected from his breast 

 and crown, while his forehead became slightly burued. Far away he flew and finally arrived 

 safely at the home of mankind and was received with great rejoicing. He gave the fire to the 

 thankful people and told them to guard it well ; and as he did so they noticed the rich glow on 

 his breast aud brow, and said, " Kind bird, wear forever that beautiful mark as a memento of what 

 you have done for us;" and to this day the Red Poll wears this badge in proof of the legend, as all 

 may see, and mankind has ever since had fire. 



iEGIOTHUS LINARIA (Linn.) Caban. 



(33.) The Common Red Poll. 



This, like the preceding bird, is found along the entire shore line of Bering Sea, with the excep- 

 tionof the Seal Islands and a portion of the Aleutian chain. It breeds in abundance wherever found, 

 but is especially numerous along the shore from Norton to Kotzebue Sound; and wherever we 

 landed from the Corwin, like the preceding, this bird was also found. The former, however, appears 

 to be the predominating form, but the two occupy the same breeding range in this i)ortion of their 

 habitat, thus undoubtedly arguing for the distinctness of the two species. We found it with the 

 preceding at East Cape, Siberia, Point Barrow, and at nearly every i)Iace where we landed. In 

 winter they band together in flocks and seek the sheltered woodlands toward the interior, where in 

 bushy ravines and on sheltered hillsides they are found on every hand. During mild weather 

 they make excursions to the coast and more exposed portions of the country, ready to disappear 

 at the approach of an unfavorable change. Some of them, like the preceding, remain to winter 

 along the sea-coast, but only a small proportion of the number which is found in summer. Many 

 doubtless migrate to more southern localities, as they are nowhere found so abundant at this season 

 as during summer. Although not mentioned by Nordenskiold as ociiurring at his winter quarters, 

 yet this bird is known to exist throughout the range of the entire circumpolar mainlands of both 

 continents and many of the adjacent islands, rendering it certain that it is found in that portion of 

 Siberia as well as elsewhere. On Herald and Wraiigel Islands none of them were seen, owing 

 doubtless to the scanty vegetation on these barren islands not afibrdiug requisite shelter and 

 hospitality to tempt them to cross the icy sea and remain on these forbidding shores. 



PLECTROPHANES NIVALIS (Linn.) Myer. , 



(34.) The Snow Bunting. 



In the north, the range and abundance of this species in summer is to a great extent comple- 

 mentary to that of the succeeding species. Along the more rugged parts of the coast, on rocky 

 and barren islands and the bare and desolate shores of the Arctic Ocean, wherever explorers have 

 gone they have found these birds before them. The desolate hill-tops of Saint Lawrence Island, 



