116 EXPEDITION TO POINT BARROW, ALASKA. 



of Bering Sea. \Yhe we reach Point Barrow it Las become merely a rare straggler, although 

 the natives know it well, having become familiar with it during their summer wanderings to the. 

 Colville. 



It was only seen alive on one occasion, June 11, 1883, when a single pair was taken in one of 

 the small tundra pools, such as are frequented by the Red Phalaropes. As usual the female was 

 the larger and more brightly colored bird. 



AW also secured a native skin from a man who said he had shot the bird in the country of iho 

 Kungmudling people, east of the Colville River, where they arc very plenty. 



584. GRUS CANADENSIS (Linn.) Temm. 



LITTLE CRANE (Tut-ti'd-ri-gii). 



Though abundant about Norton Sound and even as far north as Kot/.ebue Sound, the Little 

 Crane reaches Point Barrow only as a rare straggler. It was not observed at all during the season 

 of 1882, but two pairs were seen in 18S3 and one of each pair secured. Both of these occurrences 

 \vere between the middle and end of June, and none were seen in the autumn. 



The bird was well known to the natives, who say they find them very abundant at the mouth 

 of the Colville. 



588. OLOR AMERICANUS (Sharpless) Bp. 



WHISTLING SWAN (Ku'<f >) 



The swans occasionally seen and frequently spoken of by the natives are 'probably of this 

 species, as the large Trumpeter Swan is not known west of Fort Yukon (tcste Nelson, "Arctic 

 Cruise of the Revenue Steamer Corwin, 1SS1"). 



They were only noticed once or twice each spring, and the natives say they are uncommon at 

 the sea-coast. 



They say, however, that they are very plenty "j>i" "south," by which they mean 75 or ]00 

 miles inland on the rivers, where, they say, they catch a great many when they have molted their 

 wing leathers. 



591a. CHEN HYFERBOREUS ALBATUS (Cass.) Ridgxr. 



LESSER SNOW GOOSE (KtiTi-o). 



All the snow geese taken were of this smaller form. They are not at all common, but are 

 occasionally seen during the spring migrations, that is, from the middle of May to the end of June. 

 They are usually in pairs and small flocks, and generally come off the land from the south and go 

 out to sea, as if going out to feed. 



Once or twice larger tlocks came up in the morning and went back again in the afternoon, 

 and occasionally stragglers were found alighting round the pools on the tundra. None of them 

 bred in the neighborhood of the station. 



593a. ANSER ALBIFRONS GAMBELI (Hartl.) Coues. 



AMERICAN WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE (NA'g* lii</ run). 



This was our most abundant goose. They are fairly plenty during the spring migrations and 

 a few breed. Like the swans they are said to be extremely abundant i! south,"' near Meadc Paver, 

 where many eggs are secured and many geese taken while molting and unable to fly. 



They arrive about the middle to the end of May (May 10, 1882, and May '_'.">. 1883), and for a 

 couple of weeks are generally to be found in small parties along the lagoons and the Miudl pools 

 which have opened along the crown of the beach. We could be sure to find a few gees-c every day 

 in a small marshy lagoon above the station, which we got into the habit of calling the "gooso 

 pond" from this fact. 



As the snow cleared off early in June they scattered in pairs over the tundra, occasionally 

 feeding together in small parties of half a dozen or so. 



