Nov., 1900] BIRDS OF THE KOTZEBUE SOUND REGION. 19 



May 3i.st three specimens were shot. They were extremely fat, in this respect being 

 diflferent from most other water birds taken at that season. The natives dis- 

 tinguish this species by the name Ne-ge-le'e-nuk. 



Philactc canagica (Sevast.). 



EMrEROR Goose. 



I did not find this maritime species in the Kowak Valley nor in the vicinity 

 of Cape Blossom. Nor did the natives know of its occurrence in these localities. 

 But it was reported to me as common on the south side of Kotzebue Sound near 

 the Kogoruk River, and from Cape Espenberg southwestward coast-wise to Bering 

 Straits it is a common summer resident. At a point on the Alaskan coast twenty 

 miles northeast of Cape Prince of Wales, on July 27 and 28, '98, I saw consider- 

 able numbers. In fact it was the only goose seen at that point. Small flocks 

 were seen at night passing back and forth low over the marshes and parallel with 

 the beach. The "Penelope" anchored on July ist off Cape Eowenstern, and the 

 species was apparently equally numerous there. Many freshly-killed Kmperor 

 Geese were seen in possession of the eskimo, and also a few eggs. The natives 

 shoot the birds with rifles on their nesting grounds, which were pointed out to me 

 as being the low marshy tundra along the coast, crOvSsed by brackish lagoons. A 

 badly incubated set of three eggs was obtained from a native at this place, together 

 with, the parent birds. The eggs are plain white, much soiled, and measure 

 3.04x2.07, 3.22x2.07, 3.20x2.13. Some of the eskimo at Cape Blossom are familiar 

 with this goose and call it Mik-i-lcHDr'uk. 



Olo7' cohiiiibianus (Ord). 



Whistling Swan. 



Swans were not common in the regions visited by me. I saw a pair flying 

 down the Kowak near our winter quarters on May nth, '99, and later in the same 

 month I was informed of the occurrence of these birds rather commonly among the 

 forest-bordered lakes toward the head of this river. 



Gr2is ca)iade?isis (Linn.). 



Little Brown Crane. 



The Little Brown Crane was a common summer resident of the bare tundras 

 from Cape Blossom through the Kowak Valley. Its food consisted largely of 

 berries and grass, while a few insects and, I have reason to believe, mice, also 

 entered into its diet. We found the cranes usually fat, and they proved very fine 

 eating, in fact we esteemed crane above ever}^ other game except ptarmigan. 

 The cranes remained in the vicinity of our winter camp until September 4th; and 

 their arrival the following spring, as proclaimed by their far-reaching, rolling call- 

 notes, was on May 14th. I saw no flocks of this species as seen during the migra- 

 tions further south, and the birds had apparently already paired ofi". From the 

 day of their appearance they were scattered about, each pair claiming exclusive 

 possession of some certain extent of tundra. The peculiar and often ludicrous 

 performances of these birds during the mating season have been well described 

 by Nelson, but these antics do not seem to be confined to the courting season 



