1 ] G NATURAL HISTORY COLLECTIONS IN ALASKA. 



They frequent open grassy parts of tbe country and are quick to protest against an invasion 

 of tlieir territorj-. As a person approaches, one after the other of the birds arises and coraes 

 circliiig about, uttering a loud ku-irric witli such euergj' as to nialce the ears fairly ling. If their 

 nests are near, or they have young, they come closer and closer, some of the boldest swooping 

 close by one's head and redoubling the diu. This same note is beard upon all sides while the 

 birds conduct their courtships, and it serves also to express their anger and alarm. At the 

 mating season the males have a rolling whistle also like that of the ordinary field plover, but 

 shorter. When the birds fly at this time they hold tbe wings decurved and stiffened and make a 

 few rapid strokes, then glide for a short distance. On the ground it walks gracefully, its head well 

 raised, and frequently pauses to raise its wings high over the back and then deliberately folds 

 them. They may be decoyed when flying in flocks if their whistling note be imitated. If wounded 

 and taken in hand they utter a loud harsh scream. 



These Godwits are among the first of the waders to leave Alaska in fall. Tbe young are flying 

 by the middle of July and before the end of August not one of these birds, young or old, is to be 

 found. In tbe breeding season all the birds of tbe neighborhood will unite to escort a dog through 

 their territory with the most resouuding cries. 



There is a wide range of individual variation among many speciesof waders, and this is nowhere 

 better exemplified than in the present species, as will be shown in the following notes and descrip- 

 tions : A male in perfect breeding plumage obtained at Unalaska June 3, 1877, has the crown 

 striated by broad sooty black shaft-lines aud dull yellowish edgings of each feather; the entire 

 back of neck dull buffy or yellowish brown, marked longitudinally by fine blackish shaft-lines 

 which become very much broader near the back and on tbe dorsal area ; including the scapulars 

 aud most of tertials tbe feathers are dark blackish brown, each bordered by a varying amount of 

 dull gray, brown or bufly, in tbe form of irregular marginal spots and uneven borders. Feathers 

 on upper rump pale ashy brown, faintly white-edged, changing on the upper-tail coverts, which 

 contain irreguhxr central areas of white inclosed in brown and these finally become, like the tail, 

 asliy brown, shaded with bulf and barred with several irregular aud frequently imperfect bars 

 of white or pale bufly white. The tail markings consist of six distinct bars of light. Entire 

 under surface rich buffy red, broken only by a few irregular dark bars ou feathers of the sides and 

 under tail-coverts. Secondaries and wing-coverts light ashy brown edged with grayish white. 

 Upper surface of primaries dark blackish brown ; under surface of same pale ashy, the inner webs 

 yijecoming whitish, broken by irregular clouding and maculations. In old male birds the feathers 

 .on the breast are irregularly marked by fine black shaft-lines. 



The female in ^lerfect breeding dress is like the male, except that the buff" of the lower surface 

 ItveTages paler and is always mixed with white, giving an immature appearance. This character is 

 frequently present in the male as well, but in full-plumaged males it is absent ; I have yet to see a 

 female with the buff unbroken. 



Two females taken at Saint Michaels on June IG are in wiater plumage without a trace 

 of the usual summer coloration, aud in several other spring females parts of tbe winter dress 

 remain. 



Both sexes begm to assume the fall dress in July, but they leave for the south before it 

 approaches completion. 



A young female taken August 25 at Saint Michaels presents the following characters : Crown 

 striated with dull black shaft-lines and dull ashy-brown edgiugs. Back of neck marked in the 

 .same pattern, with tbe dark centers very pale aud rendered obscure by the broad ashy-brown 

 borders. Entire dorsum, scapulars, tertials, and wing-coverts with dark brownish centers, 

 api)roaching black, except on the wing-coverts. Each feather is edged with pale grayish or dull 

 fawn brown, this edging encroaching on the dark centers of the tertials aud some of the adjoining 

 feathers in a serrated pattern. Elsewhere the edgings are uniform. Secondaries and secondary- 

 coverts ashy, the latter edged with pale fulvous, the former with white. Primaries as in adult. 

 Breast aud neck dark smoky fawn color, very light on the chin aud sides of the head, the latter 

 .slightly maculated. Entire abdomeu aud sides light reddish fawn color. Rump aud tail as iu 

 adult. Length of wing, 8 ; tail, 3; tarsus, 2.0 ; culmeu, 2.31 inches. 



