2 1 2 IfATURAL HISTORY COLLECTIONS IN ALASKA. 



travi-liug through the silent suow-cliid forests of the Yukon, as he tramps wearisomely on, until the 

 mind is uucousciously affected by the lack of auimatiou. At such times, as we move mechauically 

 forward, the shrill, strident note of the Chickadee, as the bird eyes us from its swinging perch on 

 a bush close at hand, breaks the silence and diverts the mind. Frequently the chorus of their 

 Lilliputian cries arise from the bushes all about as the jolly company of harlequins swing and 

 balance their tiny bodies aud pass on as though too busily intent upon affairs of importance to 

 stop. After their passage the forest resumes its cheerless silence once more, and the heavy 

 breathing of the icy wind through the tree-tops or the sharp report of the contracting ice in the 

 river are the only accompaniments of the toilsome march. 



Their habits and appearance are like those of the well-known Black Cap in southern localities, 

 from which it is to be distinguished merely by its larger size aud the greater amount of white 

 bordering the wings and tail, in addition to the general lighter color of the back. These dis- 

 tinctions are likely to vary considerably in individual specimens; and, in fact, it is frequently 

 difficult to distinguish the two forms either by color or size differences. The western and northern 

 varieties are usually distinguishable at a glance by the much grayer back and lighter flanks of 

 sepientrionalis. Among many specimens of the latter from Saint Michaels aud the Lower Yukon, 

 the wash of brown on the sides is almost totally lacking, and in two specimens no differences of 

 shade can be found in the flanks or abdomen. In the south the differences in shade between these 

 two parts become more aud more striking. Although the northern birds are usually larger, 

 there are exceptions to the rule. Neither in midsummer nor in midwinter does this bird reach 

 the coast of Bering Sea, and its breeding range is co-extensive with the wooded country of the 

 interior aud the timbered coast in the southeast part of the Territory. 



Paeus atricapillus occiDENTALis (Baird). Oregon Chickadee. 



Hartlaub records two specimens of this Chickadee taken at Chilcat; he adds also "on Feb- 

 ruary 17 seen on low bushes and deciduous trees near shore. Summer and winter always in low 

 thickets near coast." 



Parus cinctus obtectus (Cab.). Siberian Chickadee. 



The flrst record of this species from America was published in the Bulletin of the Nuttall 

 Ornithological Club, January, 1878, in which mention is made of several specimens, obtained by 

 Mr. L. M. Turner from Saint Michaels. The flrst American specimen of this bird, however, is a 

 female, which was sent to the Smithsonian Institution with seven eggs, from the Lower Ander- 

 son River, June 1, 1864, by MacFarlane, to whom credit is thus due for obtaining it flrst on this 

 continent. 



The habitat of this bird includes, so iar as known, the spruce forests in Northeastern Siberia, 

 extending across a very similar region in the northern half of Alaska, and reaching the Anderson 

 Eiver on the east. Its range does not appear to extend to the south aloug the Upper Y^ukon, as 

 a considerable series of Titmice, brought me from that region by the fur traders, does not contain 

 a single example. From the vicinity of Nulato, thence down the Yukon, and to the north and 

 northeast, this form appears to be as abundaut as the Hudsonian Titmouse, whoso range it shares 

 in this region. From about Lake Baikal, iu Eastern Siberia, west through Northern Siberia and 

 Northern Europe, extends the range of a close relative of the present form, known as Parus cinctus, 

 with which this bird has been confused until very recently. The original American reference 

 was given as P. cinctus, but a careful comparisou of the large series of Alaskan birds in my collec- 

 tion with specimens of cinctus from Northern Europe shows a well-marked geographical difference, 

 which will be referred to below. 



Like most others of its kind, the Siberian Titmouse nests in hollows of trees, aud has been 

 known to eject the rightful owner of a cavity and seize upon the site for its own nest. Its eggs 

 are usually placed upon a mass of hairs of the lemming and hare, combined with flue moss or 

 vegetable down. It lays from seven to nine eggs, which are grayish-white, with reddish-violet and 

 reddish-brown spots often collected at the larger end. The eggs are broad iu proportion to their 

 length. The North European bird is resident and comes about the houses in winter, where it 

 searches for food among the refuse heaps, and becomes extremely familiar. In Lapland this bird 

 uses natural cavities in trees, or such as are excavated by woodpeckers. Its cry is expressed 



