interesting of the birds here is the rufous hummingbird a dainty lit- 

 tle species, the male of which is bright rusty rufous with a flaming 

 coppery-red gorget. These pygmy birds rear their young along the 

 coast northward to the 61st parallel of latitude in Prince William 

 Sound, where they endure a raw and extremely inclement summer 

 climate in a region of gigantic glaciers and of mountain-sides clothed 

 in snow. 



The Bird-Year at St. Michael 



During the years I lived on St. Michael Island, the coming and 

 going of birds about the small group of log-houses which formed the 

 trading-post were constant features of interest; and the arrival of the 

 birds in spring was always heralded with especial joy. During the 

 last days of April or first of May everyone is on the alert to note the 

 first goose of the season. The ground at this time is still covered with 

 snow, and the sea overlaid with the heavy pack-ice to the far hori- 

 zon, and zero-temperatures are common. , In the interior, however, 

 the season is farther advanced, and from there come solitary geese 

 spying out the land along the coast from one to two weeks in advance 

 of the main body, which appear to be waiting behind the horizon 

 until the sun has bared most of the broad tundras, flooded the ponds, 

 and set icy streams running everywhere over the country. These first 

 arrivals come singly from the direction of the lower Yukon, flying 

 high over head, and uttering loud, clanging notes as they go speed- 

 ing in a wide circle over the wintry landscape. The passage of the 

 first of these harbingers of returning life and plenty is welcomed with 

 exultation by the fur-traders as well as by the Indians and Eskimos. 

 At the loud cry "Goose! Goose!" shouted joyously by the first to 

 see the newcomer, everyone, young and old, hurries out of doors, 

 shouting and dancing in a state of excitement difficult to appreciate 

 by one who has not gone through those long, slow, winter months 

 in the far North. 



The yearly calendar of the birds about the houses usually began 

 some cheerless morning in May, on the border-line between winter 

 and spring, when we were greeted by the sharp tsip tsip of a tree spar- 

 row that had arrived over night and taken possession of adjacent 

 weed-patches. As the weather became milder the sparrows increased 

 and, in company with plump, rosy-breasted little redpolls, they were 

 seen everywhere, from the top of the wind-vane to the sun-dial out- 

 side the kitchen-window, whence they peeped in curiously. As the 

 snow decreased, both the tree sparrows and redpolls drifted away to 

 prepare their summer homes among the alders on some warm hill- 



34 



