58 THE POINT BARROW ESKIMO. 
Of land birds, the most familiar are the little snow bunting, amaulige 
(Plectrophenax nivalis), the first bird to arrive in the spring, the Lap- 
land longspur, néssau/dlige (Calearius lapponicus), and two species of 
grouse, the willow grouse (Lagopus lagopus) and the rock ptarmigan 
(L. rupestris), which are both called aki’‘digin. These two birds do not 
migrate, but are to be seen all winter, as is also the well known snowy 
owl,u’kpik (Nyeteanyctea). A gerfalcon,ki/drigtimin (Falco rusticolus), 
is also sometimes seen, and skins and feathers of the golden eagle, ti/n- 
miekptk, ‘the great bird” (Aquila chryszetos), are brought from the 
east for charms and ornaments. The raven, tule (Corvus corax sin- 
uatus), was not seen at Point Barrow, but the natives are familiar with 
it and have many of its skins for amulets. Several species of small 
land birds also occur in small numbers, but the natives are not familiar 
with them and call them all ‘“‘st/ksaxiv.” This name appears to mean 
“wanderer” or “flutterer,” and probably belongs, I believe, to the dif- 
ferent species of redpolls (Aegiothus). 
Fishes.—A few species only of fish are found in the salt water. Of 
these the most abundant are the little polar cod (Boreogadus saida), 
which is plentiful through the greater part of the year, and is often an 
important source of food, and the capelin, aimt/grait (Mallotus villosus), 
which is found in large schools close to the beach in the middle of sum- 
mer. There are also caught sometimes two species of seulpins, kti/naio 
(Cottus quadricornis and decastrensis), and two species of Lycodes, kt- 
graunr (L. turnerii and coccineus). In the gill nets at Elson Bay they 
also catch two species of salmon (Onchorhynehus gorbuscha and nerka) 
and a whitefish (Coregonus laurett) in small numbers, and occasion- 
ally a large trout (Salvelinus malma). The last-named fish they find 
sometimes in great numbers, near the mouth of the Colville. 
The greatest quantities of fish are taken in the rivers, especially 
Kuaru and Kulugrua, by fishing through the ice in the winter. They 
say there are no fish taken in [kpikpiin, and account for this by explain- 
ing that the former two rivers freeze down to the bottom on the shallow 
bars inclosing deep pools in which the fish are held, while in the latter 
the ice never touches the bottom, so that the fish are free to run down 
to the sea. The species caught are the small Coregonus lauretta, two 
large whitefish (C. kennicottii and nelsoni), and the burbot, tita/lin 
(Lota maculosa). They speak of a fish, sulukpau’/ga (which appears to 
mean “ wing-fin” and is applied in Greenland to a species of Sebastes), 
that is caught with the hook in Kulugrua apparently only in summer, 
and seems from the description to be Back’s grayling (Thymallus sig- 
nifer). In the river Ku is caught a smelt, ithoa/nin (Osmerus dentex). 
In the great lake, Ta/syikptn (see above, p. 29), they tell of an enor- 
mous fish ‘‘as big as a kaiak.” They gave it no name, but describe it 
as haying a red belly and white flesh. One man said he had seen one 
18 feet long, but another was more moderate, giving about 3 feet as the 
length of the longest he had seen. 
