CEUISE OF STEAMER CORWIN IK THE ARCTIC OCEAN. 69 



the bare weather-worn sides of the mountains snrrounding Plover Bay and East Cape, Siberia; 

 the rocky wind-swept islands in Bering Strait, as well as the lonely shores of Herald and Wrangel 

 Islands, and the shingle-strewn beaches along the north coast of Asia and Alaska all appear 

 to be chosen as the favorite summer homes of this bird. When we landed at any of these places 

 we were certain to be greeted by the clear, sharj) note of the Snow Bunting, which would be 

 seen running busily a'lout searching for food or wheeling al)out from jilace to place, its sharply 

 contrasted black and white plumage quickly attracting the eye and usually the first sign of life. 

 On the mountain sides at Plover Bay its mellow note was heard on June 2(5, uttering the long, clear, 

 and rather hard song, full of a wild and exhilarating meloily fitted to tlie surroundings. This song 

 consists of four or five clear whistling notes, shorter than the song of the Long Spur, and uttered 

 from a rocky point or the top of some jutting ledge. At Saint Lawrence Island, on June 24, we 

 found them common and nesting, and some native children showed us a nest about 100 yards back 

 of their huts. This nest contained one egg, which was obtained, with the female. After the latter 

 was shot the male kept flying about our heads, or from rock to rock close by, and continually 

 uttering a loud p-cher, p-cher, p-cher, p-cher, in such a plaintive tone that I was glad when we 

 were out of eai'-shot. As long as we remained in the vicinity this bird followed us from place to 

 place, hovering about, not taking the slighest notice of his rifled nest after the female was shot. 

 He showed by his actions that he was fully aware of our having his mate in our possession. 

 I do not remember ever having seen a bird show such affectionate solicitude for his mate as was 

 exhibited on this occasion. 



As we landed upon the shore of Wrangel Island, on August 12, were found a pair of these birds, 

 with their full-grown young, upon the beach, and a number of others we found nesting upon Herald 

 Island. This bird arrived at Tapkan on April 23, 1879, according to Nordenskiold, and it is known 

 to breed commonly on Spitzbergen and Nova Zembla, as well as throughout the Aleutian Islands 

 and wherever the Arctic coasts to the north of Continental America have been visited. 



CENTROPHANES LAPPONICUS (Linn.) Caban. 



^35.) The Lapland Long Spur. 



One of the most numerous among the summer residents of the Alaskan mainland, but occurs 

 more sparingly on the adjacent islands and along the shores of Asia. This bird generally 

 frequents portions of the coast least sought by the preceding. Its northern range ajipears 

 to be limited, and we do not find it either on Wrangel or Herald Island, although on the 

 mainland of Alaska it extends to Point Barrow, where full-grown young were seen in August. It 

 is much more numerous on the Alaskan shore thau on the adjoining Asiatic coast. It breeds 

 commonly ui)on Saint Lawrence Island, but is uncommon at Plover Bay, on the Asiatic shore, only 

 about ninety miles distant. There are flats and other places there which appear suitable as local 

 habitations, yet the birds were not found. 



The Long Spur occurs in the greatest numbers on the grassy and moss-covered stretches of 

 level or rolling tundra along the American coast. It was found sparingly along the north 

 shore of Asia, where grassy flats afford suitable retreats; but everywhere along the American 

 coast"the bird appears to be a very common summer resident, and most plentiful where the full 

 harshness of the arctic summer was not felt. Along the shores of Norton and Kotzebuc Sounds, 

 where the seasons are comparatively mild, it is found in greatest abumlance. Thousands 

 of the birds appear on every hand as one strolls about during the breeding season, and in 

 early spring, at the commencement of mating, the air is filled with music. During the 

 winter the Long Spur is not found in the country north of the Aleutian Islands, in which 

 latter region, however, the bird is a permanent resident. Although the Long Spur apparently 

 favors a milder or subarctic portion of the continent, it ranges far to the north, as is shown by 

 being found nesting upon Spitzbergen, southern i.ortions of Nova Zembla, and other far northern 

 lands. Its southern bieeding range in Alaska appears to be along the Aleutian chain, where it 

 has been found raising its young, by Mr. Dall and others. 



