yO CRUISE OF STEAMKK COKWIN IN TllK AHCTKJ (K'KAM. 



fiDm ilif lowoiiiij; flirts atid ledjji's at tlie basi' of wliicli it focils ii.s pcfuliar character aud 

 intonation niijjlit load one to lancy some genie of the rocks was ntteiing its cry. When the birds 

 are aiiproached by boat, as they are feeding along the water's edge, they ascend gradually, with 

 an exjiression of mild curiosity, and pass from ledge to ledge until they reach a jutting i)oint on 

 the face of the clilf or its brow, where they stand iu relief, like beautiful, clear-cut statuettes, and 

 do not utter a sound or move until they are still further alarmed, when they take tlight, uttering 

 at the same moment their lou<l note before mentioned. This bird is as common ui>on the Bering 

 Sea shore of Siberia as it is upon the Alaskan coast, but it is not known to the north of Heriug 

 Strait on either coast. 



TRYNGITES RUFESCENS Vieill. i Caban. 



(107.) TnK IJl'FFBREASTEl) SATVD I'lI'KR. 



Like the preceding sjtecies, this handsomely iilumaged biril is a great wanderer. It is found 

 ovei' nearly thc^ entire glolie, especially the continental jMirtions, and wends its way regularly in 

 spring to nest in the far northern regions. On the coasts of Hering Sea it is rare, a single pair 

 obtained at Saint .Michael's in spring being the only tWo that 1 saw during a four years' residence 

 llu'ic. On the north sidcr of Siberia, however, it was found (piiti; common in the vi<!inity of (Jape 

 VVaiikarein early in August, ISSl. Although it is so uncommon iu the Bering Sea region, it is 

 very aliundant at various points ou the Arctic coast, and the lowt'r cour.se of the Anderson Hiver 

 in British America maybe especially mentioned, as it has been found breeding tluM-e in the 

 greatest abundance. 



NUMBNIUS HUDSONICUS Lath. 



(lo-^.) The HuDsoNiAN Curlew. 



This Cuiiew is mainly known on the shore of Norton Sound as a migrant in the siuing and 

 autumn ; a few, howevei-, remain to breed there. A.s the snow disappears in siuing towards the 

 end of Ma^v, the loud clear whistle of this species is a welcome sound, as it announces the mild 

 weather of early summer. Kemaiiiing but a short time at this sea.son, the majority i)ass still 

 further to the north. In autumn they return early in August or the last of July, and feed ui)oii 

 tlie various ripening berries until into September, when they depart for the south. It is unknown 

 on the islands of Bering Sea and adjoining shores of Northeastern Siberia. It is. however, found 

 on the Alaskan slnu'e, north to the vicinity of roint Barrow, and undoulttedly visits Saint 

 Lawrence Island and the Siberian coast during the summer. 



NUMENIUS BOREALIS (Foist.) Lath. 



(109.) The Eskimo Curlew. 



Tliongh much siiialler than the latter, this bird considerably outnumbers it, aud is much more 

 common during all the summer season on the coast of Norton Sound. Its habits and haunts are 

 almost identical with those of its larger relative, except that it breeds more frefjuently in the 

 southern parts of its range. Both forms appear at the Vukon mouth in sjjring, and sparingly 

 iluring the breeiling sea.son. Both reach high iu)rthern latitudes, at least to the limit of continental 

 lands. At Waidvarem, on the North Siberian coast, August 6, ISSl, four specimens of this bird 

 were seen passing over, aud were the only Curlews seen upon the Siberian coast during our various 

 visits to that shore. Klliott has recorded its presence on the Seal Islands during the migrations, 

 and it probably visits njost of the Bering Sea islands at this tiine. It occurs all along the Arctic 

 coast of Alaska, wherever suitable lowlands occur. 



NUMENIUS TAHITIENSIS (Gmel.) Cass. 



^110.) The Bristle-thighed Curlew. 



Although this is the largest Curlew found on the Bering Sea coast of Alaska, it is as well the 

 most uncommon. The only record of its presence there rests ujk)!! the capture of a single male 

 in the spring of 1880, when I saw a pair feeding upon the last year's berries, which covered the 



