90 JJniversitij of California Publications in Zoology. [Vol. 7 



August 21 (no. 9697) is in the midst of the post-nuptial molt, 

 and is but scantily covered with feathers. At all the island 

 localities visited the sooty song sparrow was distinctly a bird of 

 the beaches, and was observed nowhere else ; but at several of 

 the mainland points, Chickamin River, Thomas Bay, and Taku 

 River, it was common in the grassy meadows bordering the 

 streams. 



Twenty-five specimens were secured, from the following 

 localities: Kuiu Island, three (nos. 9677, 9678, 9684) ; Klawak, 

 Prince of Wales Island, one (no. 9687) ; Warren Island, two 

 (nos. 9685, 9686) ; Duke Island, two (nos. 9688, 9689) ; Boca de 

 Quadra, one (no. 9693) ; Chickamin River, three (nos. 9690- 

 9692) ; Etolin Island, one (no. 9694) ; Thomas Bay, three (nos. 

 9695-9697) ; Port Snettisham, one (no. 9698) ; and Taku River, 

 eight (nos. 9699-9706). 



Melospiza melodia caurina Ridgway. Yakutat Song Sparrow. 



The first song sparrows to appear in the region in the spring 

 were large sized, gray colored individuals, conspicuously differ- 

 ent, even in life, from the smaller, brownish birds which arrived 

 soon after. The earliest arrival was seen on Kupreanof Island, 

 on April 18 ; the next at Three-mile Arm, Kuiu Island, April 26, 

 when three were secured. These gray colored birds were seen 

 from time to time up to about the middle of May, when they 

 disappeared. Specimens were collected as follows : Three-mile 

 Arm, Kuiu Island, five (nos. 9673, 9676, 9679-9681) ; Port Protec- 

 tion, Prince of Wales Island, one (no. 9682) ; Calder Bay, Prince 

 of Wales Island, one (no. 9683). Through the courtesy of the 

 authorities of the National Museum I have been able to compare 

 these birds with a series of specimens of caurina from Yakutat 

 Bay, and, allowing for the slight differences due to the different 

 seasons at which the two series were collected (the latter were 

 taken in June), find them indistinguishable in color and propor- 

 tions. 



In studying the song si)arrows of the present collection I took 

 occasion to go over the specimens secured by the 1907 Expe- 

 dition; and, in the light of much additional material, together 

 with a better knowledge of local conditions, have arrived at 



