lf)li] Swarth: Alaska Expedition of 1909. 57 



did not meet with it at the points visited. It is entirely absent 

 from Prince of Wales and the adjacent islapds to the westward 

 (with the single exception of Coronation), and also from 

 Zarembo Island. 



This peculiar distribution is hard to account for, as the 

 channels separating these islands from their grouse-inhabited 

 neighbors are no wider than many of those separating the latter 

 from the mainland or from one another, and can hardly be con- 

 sidered as effective barriers to such a strong flying species. For 

 example, the channel between Zarembo and Etolin islands is 

 barely two miles wide at one point; and a grouse could pass 

 from Kupreanof to Prince of Wales without crossing more than 

 three miles of water at one flight. As the broad Chatham Strait 

 is no barrier to the dispersal of the species in the more northern 

 islands of the group, these narrow channels, studded with little 

 islets, can hardly act as such. The species occurs on the rather 

 isolated Coronation Island, which was probably reached by way 

 of Kuiu. The fact that most, or all, of the larger islands from 

 which the sooty grouse is absent, are inhabited by a species of 

 Canachites, is, of course, suggestive; but even if one species is 

 able to occupy an area to the exclusion of the other, these narrow 

 channels still would be no obstacle to the distribution of the 

 dominant race. It seems to hold true, however, in the islands of 

 southeastern Alaska, that wherever one species of grouse is 

 found the other is absent. 



On Kupreanof and Kuiu islands, in April, the sooty grouse 

 was abundant, while the peculiar habits of the male birds ren- 

 dered it quite conspicuous. At this time the males remain in 

 the hemlock trees, feeding on the foliage, and sometimes not 

 leaving a tree for days at a time. They hoot continually, at 

 short intervals, a sound that can be heard for a considerable 

 distance, and an unfailing indication of the presence of the 

 species. The tameness, not to say stupidity, of these birds is 

 such that they may be approached without any precaution what- 

 ever, for they continue hooting in absolute indifference to observ- 

 ation, and sometimes even remain perched after being shot at 

 and missed. Some individuals sitting at too great a height to 

 be reached by a shotgun could not be dislodged in any way. The 



