80 CRUISE OF STEAMER CORWIN IN THE ARCTIO OCEAN. 



HALIAEETUS LEUCOCEPHALUS (Linn.) Savig. 



(74.) The Bald Eagle. 



Aiiioiifj tlie Aleutian Islands this eag^le is very abmnlatit, and frequently a.s many as ten or 

 fifteen may be seen in a single day over a limited area. It is a denizen here, finding an 

 abundance of high clitl's and crags upon which to rear its young, and about which it soars in fine 

 weather. North, along the coitst, this eagle i.s rather uncommon, owing mainly to the very low, 

 flat character of the country. Wherever the coast becomes mountainous or dilVs abut on the sea- 

 shore one is pretty certain to find one or more pairs of these birds in the vicinity. It ranges 

 considerably within the Arctic Circle wherever the mountainous character of the country is such 

 as to attract. The abundance of reindeer and other game has its influence as well. During my 

 residence at Saint Michael's a number of birds were seen passing over, and quite a number of 

 skins were brought me by the Eskimo from various points along the coast to Bering Straits and 

 Kotzebue Sound. 



The great Sea Eagle of the Kamtchatkau coast and Bering Islands has been reported from 

 the Aleutian chain, but the Bald Eagle was undoubtedly mistaken for it. 



TETRACNID.E. GROUSE. 

 CANACE CANADENSIS (Linn.) Bp. 



(75.) The Spkuce Partridge. 



This, one of the handsomest of our grouse, occurs from the Northern States through British 

 America to the shores of Bering Sea, at the head of Norton Sound, where the spruce forests 

 approach and directly border on the shore. It is not abundant here but is a sparing resident and 

 breeds. Further in the interior it becomes more numerous. Its range may approach the sea-shore 

 again about the head of Bristol Bay, where the forest reaches within a short distance of the coast; 

 but we have no data from that region. In the wooded interior of Siberia this fine grouse is 

 represented by a closely related form, falcipennis, which is not known to approach any of the 

 shores under discussion. The Spruce Grouse from the vicinity of Bering Straits is identical in 

 every way with specimens from Maine and New Brunswick, and thus shows less sensitiveness to 

 climatic influence than the following species. 



BONASA UMBELLUS UMBELLOIDES (Dougl.) Baird. 



(70.) The Gray Ruffed Grouse. 



In the same localities as the preceding is found occurs this bird, which forms the northern 

 variety of the familiar Partridge, or Rutted Grouse, of the entire eastern North America. I had 

 no opportunity to learn anything of si)ecial interest concerning the habits of either this or the 

 preceding species along the coast region mentioned. With the exiieption of the wooded country 

 at the head of Bristol Bay there is no portion of the Bering Sea coast where either the Spruce or 

 Rutted Grou.se would occur, as the remainder of the shore and all the islands are destitute of trees. 



LAGOPUS ALBUS (Gm.) Aud. 



(77.) The White Ptarmigan. 



The White Ptarmigan, or Willow Grouse, occurs in greater numbers in Northern Alaska than 

 all the other species of grouse combined. Along the northern portion of the country wherever 

 open country occuis it is found in abundance, and especially along the shores of Bering Sea 

 and the Arctic Ocean, where it breeds in great numbers. The last of April and first of May 

 throughout this region, from the mouth of the Kuskoquim River north to Point Barrow, the loud 

 notes and peculiar movements of the males form oiieof the most characteristic features at this 

 season, and rentier the birds very conspicuous. It is found on the adjoining coast of Siberia as 

 well as on the American shore, but does not occur dli the Aleutian Islands, with the single exception, 



