CRUISE OF STEAMEK COKWIN IN THE AliCTIG OCEAN. 71 



chirp common to a host of their kind at tliis season, and they carry with them but little of the 

 interest attendinjj tlieir sprinj,' advent. In tiie lower Mackenzie liiver region and to the east these 

 are abundant birds, and are said to render the t\vilit;lit lionrs of nijfht during the short summer 

 melodious with their songs. Kicliardson often coniijhiined of their disturbing liis rest by tlieir 

 persistent singing while he was journeying down tiiis river. On the Aleutian and other islands of 

 Bering Sea and the Asiatic Coast this is an unknown bird. It is the only form of white-crowned 

 sparrow found in the territory of Alaska and throughout the North. The common bird of the 

 Eastern United States does not reach these high latitudes. 



ZONOTRICHIA CORONATA (Pall.) Baird. 



(39.) The Goldenckownkd Sparrow. 



A rather rare summer visitant on the shores of Norton Sound, where it breeds. Its favorite 

 haunts are the same as those of the preceding species. In the fall young and old consort with 

 intermedia again on the feeding ground about the houses. Upon the Aleutian and other islands 

 in Bering Sea this bird is unknown, nor have I any record of it along the coast north of Norton 

 Sound. 



SPIZELLA MONTANA (Forst.) Ridgw. 



(40.) The Tree Sparrow. 



This is perhaps tlie commonest species of Sparrow frequenting the bushes along the Northern 

 Alaskan (Joast. It arrives early in May, or even the last days of April, upon the shores of 

 Norton Sound, and, like the White-crowned Sparrow, announces its presence by first appearing 

 about human habitations. At this time it especially favors such weed patches as have withstood 

 the storms of winter; the convenient shelter thus formed making a favorite gathering place, 

 where the lisping chirp of the Tree Sparrow can be heard at all times, and from which tliey make 

 excursions to the garden spot by the kitchen or come into the yard. They are always timorous, 

 however, and ready to dive into the fastnesses of their lurking place at the first alarm. Before 

 the snow has left the thickets where they make their nests, they have taken i)ossession as if in 

 anxiety to commence their housekeeping. In the course of time the suow disappears; the sturdy 

 alders begin to open their buds and take on a shade of green, while about their roots busy family 

 groups are at work upon the soft grassy nest, which soon contains their pretty complement o 

 eggs. All goes well, unless some wandering naturalist breaks rudely in upon the hai)i)y pair and 

 leaves a scene of ruin behind. 



Early in July the parents have a brood of full grown young, which they straightway introduce 

 to the vicinity of the houses, where we soon tind them in full possession of the outworks of the 

 Fort and ready to Join in friendly companionship with the White-crowns and young Lapland 

 Long Spurs. The motley crew associate in the most congenial way during this season of plenty, 

 and a plebeian crew they make, all clad in dingy browns and dull butfy grays, each apparently 

 without an object in life but to gorge himself on the abundance of food which the i)lants begin to 

 siiower down. Ere long, however, the cold storms of autumn announce the approach of winter 

 and send many of the more sensitive oft' to a milder climate. September passes, the frosts and 

 cold are more severe, and as this month ends and October begins the last of the gormands pass 

 on to a sunnier clime. 



This species breeds on the shores of Kotzebue Sound, as far north as bushes are found. I 

 have no record of its occurrence on the adjacrent Siberian shore, although it is undoubtedly found 

 on the Chukchi Peninsula. It (;au scarcely be exi)ected to occur upon any of the islands iu 

 Bering Sea from their bleak and unsuitable character. 



JUNCO HTEMALIS (Linn.) Scl. 



(41.) The Black Snow Bird. 



This is perhaps the most uncommon s[)arrow found upon the .\meiican shore of Bering Sea, 

 and can be noted merely as a straggler from the interior of pretty regular occurrence in spring. 



