150 NATOEAL HISTORY COLLECTIONS IN ALASKA. 



Throughout the uoitherii part of its rauge this is a migratory species, arriving the last of May 

 at Saint Michaels, ou Norton Sound, and in the surrounding region, where it remains until the last 

 of September or lirst of October. lu Northern Illinois they come late in the fall, frequently in 

 considerable unmbers, and remain ou the prairies and marshes all through the winter. At this 

 season they remain concealed in the bunches of dry grass and reeds until about 3 p. m., when they 

 rise and fjuarter the ground the rest of the afternoon in search of mice. They are very heedless 

 and may be easily approached, and, at times, may be called close to oue by imitating the 

 squeaking of a mouse. They sometimes alight aud watch a person's movements, at the same time 

 going through a curious bowing motion, swinging the head about, much like the odd bowing 

 of the Burrowing Owl when it is approached. "U'hen disturbed aud pursued the Short eared 

 Owl frequently utters a hollow, sonorous, rolling whistle. I have heard the same note in the fall 

 at Saint Michaels when the birds come about the dwelliugs as they are preparing to migrate. 

 At this time they are frequently found about the houses in the evening, frequently dashing 

 rapidly back and forth by one's face as if in sport. 



Kumlien reports findiug these birds breeding on Penny Peninsula in latitude 72° North, and 

 the natives informed him that they nested under ledges. It is rare on the Greenland coast. 



Uliila cinerea (Gmel.). Great Gray Owl (Esk. MH-gdai-pai-ulch). 



Throughout all the wooded parts of Alaska from Sitka north to the northern tree-limit, aud 

 from the vicinity of Bering Straits east throughout the Territory, aud extendiug over all of the 

 fur countries, this flue owl is a common and well known resident. Unfortunately, owing to 

 my limited acquaintance with the interior — having made but a few winter expeditious in this 

 direction — the present bird became known to me only through specimens brought in by the fur 

 traders aud natives; and, as a consequence, I can add nothing to our knowledge of its habits. 

 It was found to be remarkably stupid by Mr. Dall, who informs us that on the Yukon it can be 

 caught by the hand in the daytime. He found it feeding mainly on small birds, aud took thirteen 

 ^giothi crania from oue of them. He tells us also that it is eaten by the old men and women, 

 but the natives have a superstition that if young persons eat it they will become old very soon 

 and die. Owing to its heavy flight and awkward motions the Indians in the vicinity of Nulato 

 call this bird XuhJ-fiihl, the " heavy walker." i 



This is a common bird throughout most of the north, but is not familiarly known to the coast 

 people, owing to its predilection for the more heavily-wooded portions of the country. It 

 occurs as a very rare straggler even ou the open sea-coast of Bering Sea aud the Arctic, but the 

 bird is totally unknown on the islands of Bering Sea. Along all the heavily-wooded southeastern 

 coast of the Territory, including the Sitkan region, and thence south to Washington Territory, it 

 is a common resident species. 



Ulula cinerea lapponica (Eetz.). Lapp Owl (Esk. 3Iii gdpdi-iiJclt). 



The introduction of this bird as a member of the North American fauna rests upon a single 

 specimen taken at the Yukon delta, ou April 15, 1876, aud sent to the U. S. National Museum by 

 Mr. Turner. The original record of this capture is published iu the Bulletin of the Nuttall Or- 

 nithological Club for January, 1878, p. 37. The range of this bird in America is probably limited 

 to that portion of the Bcriug Sea coast aud shore of the Arctic in Alaska adjacent to the Siberian 

 shore, where the bird may occur as an occasional visitant. Its habits are undoubtedly closely 

 related to those of its American representative. 



In Laplaud this owl has been found nesting on the stumps of trees and ou the Scotch fir. It 

 is said to lay four eggs, and ranges throughout Northern Europe aud Siberia. The differeuce 

 between it and its American representative consists of the much lighter colors and fainter mark- 

 ings of the Old World bird. 



Nyctala tengmalmi eichardsoni (Bonap.). Eichardson's Owl (Esk. TiU-whe- 

 ling- file). 



This handsome little bird is common throughout the northern part of Alaska wherever trees 

 or large bushes occur to afford it shelter. At Nulato Dall frequently heard it crying in the even- 



