BIEDS. 211 



of fragmeuts from the beetliug cliffs above to joiu the rocky mass which had already fallen. While 

 occupied iu searching cautiously for a firm footing, a faint, wii\y note struck my ear and brought 

 me to a sadden standstill. All about lay huge blocks of riven lava, from which arose the over- 

 hanging crags; a little back a more sloping bluff i)resented its face, the inequalities of which were 

 dotted by scattered grass and other vegetation, now dead and yellow, or iu spots were flecked with 

 patches of snow. As my eye scanned this abrui)t slope, the author of the notes was seen clinging 

 to a dwarf willow bush at tlie very brow of the bluff, over which the wind came with great force, 

 beating the bush back and forth as if it would uproot it. I put iu a shell with No. 6 shot, and 

 fired. To my joy I saw a small brown bodj- droji down the face of the blufl' and lodge in a bunch 

 of grass. With eager haste I reached the spot, raised the little songster, and made m^' first 

 acquaintance with this hardy Wren. Glowing with pleasure, I sat for some time examining my 

 prize, and then continued my way, filled with that peculiar exhilaration enjoyed by the field natu- 

 ralist when he finds a coveted prize. 



The last of September and first of October, ISSl, while the Oorwiu lay at Uualaska, 1 had still 

 further opportunities for studving this little-known species in its home. They were very common 

 everywhere on the lower portions of the island, wherever the rank grass and other plants, combined 

 with the stunted bushes, oft'ered a fitting shelter. Here the birds were seeu repeatedly, swinging 

 on the projecting sprays or flitting busily from point to point, and sho wing a peculiar sprightliuess 

 and activity common to it and its kind. Spesimens have been taken along the entire Aleutian 

 chain, but it is unknown on the coast to the eastward of these islands. 



The original description of the species gives the character of the young in the first plumage 

 sufficiently well. They may be distinguished from the adult by a smoky brown shade on the sides 

 of the head, chin, and throat, and a brighter rusty-red on the back, especially on the rump. In 

 the adults the bill is longer and proportionally slenderer, and the faint, light supei'ciliary line is 

 better marked. The crown is dull brown, shading into a dingy rufous brown on the rump and 

 tail. Below, the adults are indistinguishable in coloration from rufous specimens of the common 

 Winter Wren obtained in Virginia and Illinois. Young specimens of alascemis approach nearer 

 hiemalis in the amount of rufous on the back and iu the size of the bill. Another character is the 

 lack of maculations on the back and rump of alascciisis. The latter then may be characterized as 

 grayer, larger, and longer-billed than the common hiemalis and its vnriety po.aficus, and is, per- 

 haps, less ditterentiated from hiemalis than Melospiza insignis is from the eastern M. melodia. Thus 

 far, however, comparison of the Winter Wrens from the adjoining coast of Alaska with those of 

 the Aleutian Islands shows a greater amount of diUerence than exists between the Aleutiau Wren, 

 and its eastern congener. This argues in favor of the specific distinctness of alaseensis. 



Ceethia familiaris AMERICANA (Bouap.). Brown Creeper. 



In the National Museum collection is a single specimen of this bird obtained at Fort Kenai 

 May 6, 18C0, by Bi.schoff. According to Hartlanb it was seen at Sitka by Kittlifz. These are the 

 only records of its occurrence in the Territory, although from its presence at the localities named 

 it is to be inferred that it occurs in the Intermediate country, thence to Washington Territory 

 where the bird is known to be abundant. 



Parus ArKicAPiLLU.s SEPTENTBiONALis (Harris). Longtailed Chickadee 



(Esk. Chi 111 plpiduk). 



Throughout the wooded region of Alaska, from the moist, heavily- wooded coast in the Sitkan 

 and Kadiak region north throughout the entire Yukon and adjoining country, this bird is a common 

 resident. Specimens were secured both at Cook's Inlet and Kadiak by Dr. Bean. I secured speci- 

 mens from various places throughout the northern portion of the Territory, at times even alon--- 

 the barren sea-coast, where it only found shelter iu the stunted alder or weed ])atches. Its visits 

 to the coast, however, were mainly in roving parties during spring or fall. A few days of mild 

 weather, at this season, are almost sure to bring some of these familiar birds about the coast set- 

 tlements, and its familiar dee-dee-dee is a welcome sound on the clear frosty mornings which nshcr 

 in the stinging blasts of winter, or announce the approach of spring. One meets it a^ain while 



