Nov., 1900] BIRDS OF THK KOTZEBUE SOUND REGION. 61 



Regidiis calendula (L,inn.). 

 Ruby-crowned Kinglet. 



On the 23rd of August, I shot one specimen and saw two others in a willow 

 copse bordering the Kowak a couple of miles above our winter camp. I did not 

 see the Ruby-crowned Kinglet again until the loth of June, in the Kowak delta. 

 Here I heard its beautiful song, and by tracing this found solitary male birds in 

 the thickest spruce woods where they kept in the upper foliage and were hard to 

 follow in their wanderings. 1 spent an hour or two in watching them, but did 

 not succeed in seeing a female, .so I suppo.sed the latter to be incubating some- 

 where. 



Hylocichla alicicE (Baird). 

 Gray-cheeked Thrush. 



This thrush was a common sunnner resident from Cape Blo.ssom eastward to the 

 head of the Kowak River. In the former localit}' it was less noticeable, being 

 confined to the densest alder thickets lining the ravines back in the hills. But in 

 the Kowak Valle}' it was to be heard from every willow bed and tract of spruces. 

 At the time of our arrival in August at our winter camp they were still fairly 

 common though quite shy, and with the exception of a faint call-note at long in- 

 tervals, were silent. They were noted singly, most often in the vicinity of a blue- 

 berry patch whence they seemed to gain most of their food at this sea.son. The 

 last Gray-cheeked Thrushes were seen on Augu.st 25th. The following spring 

 their arrival was on the 24th of Ma3^ when thej^ were already in pairs; and with- 

 in five days nest-building was well under way. Their beautiful liquid song re- 

 minded me of that of the Russet-backed Thrush in California. The ordinary 

 call-note was a liquid "what", and besides this there was a harsh scjuall. The 

 nests of this species were quite variously situated, according to environment. In 

 willow and alder beds I found them within a foot of the ground built on the slant- 

 ing or horizontal trunks. While in the spruce woods they were found as high as 

 twenty feet, though commonly about six feet above the ground. A typical nest 

 is of fine shriveled grass blades, incorporated when damp, and mixed with a small 

 amount of nnid. The lining is of fine dry grasses. When this structure dries it 

 is remarkably compact and firm, in fact almo.st indestructible by the elements, for 

 the woods were full of old nests .some of which must iiave survived many seasons. 

 The cavity of the nest is deeph' cup-shaped, with a diameter of 2.55 and depth of 

 T.80. The first set was of four fresh eggs taken on June 6th near our winter 

 camp. The latest was of five slightly-incubated eggs taken in the Kowak delta 

 on June 15th. The ground-color of the eggs is nile l)luc, with rather obscure 

 spots and l)lotches of liver-brown and vinaceous, more numerous at the larger 

 ends. Thirteen eggs average .93X.68. The native name of this bird is 

 Pa-wa-/A)()g'a-ruk. 



Mcriila iiiioraloria (Linn.). 



Amekic.vn Robin. 



The Robin was a fairly common sunnner bird in the Kowak \'alley from the 



delta eastward. In the fall they were seen but seldom, the last, five flying east 



high overhead, being noted on September 7th. In the spring the first one was 



