30 



SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 66 



PLECTROPHENAX NIVALIS TOWNSENDI 



Pribilof Snow Bunting 



At Unalaska several Snow Buntings were collected.* All were in 

 breeding plumage and were (presumably) breeding there at the time. 

 Most of them are more or less intermediate between this form and 

 nivalis. 



It appears to me that the bill of tozvnsendi is blacker than in the 

 common Snow Bunting. I have seen specimens of nivalis from 

 Labrador, in full nuptial plumage, which still retain a trace of yel- 

 lowish at the base of the lower mandible, but all skins of tozvnsendi 

 that I have examined show the entire bill solid black. 



CALCARIUS LAPPONICUS ALASCENSIS 



Alaska Longspur 



This hardy bit of Arctic bird life is one of the first species whose 

 acquaintance one makes in northern Alaska. Wherever one goes 

 dozens of them will be seen walking about over the tundra or stand- 

 ing on little raised mounds of moss or grassy tussocks. They are 

 very attractive in their nuptial plumage and their song, usually given 

 on the wing and frequently by three or four birds at the same time, 

 is a joyous melody that wins them a place in the hearts of all who 

 hear it. About St. Michael they are called larks or, occasionally, sky- 

 larks. 



They breed early, as young just able to fly were seen June 21, and 

 several broods were seen on the wing a few days later. 



PASSERCULUS SANDWICHENSIS SANDWICHENSIS 

 Aleutian Savannah Sparrow 



These birds were common at Ketchikan, May 16, where specimens 

 were taken. During our brief stop at Unalaska they were also very 

 abundant. 



PASSERCULUS SANDWICHENSIS ALAUDINUS 



Western Savannah Sparrow 



Common at the Yukon and about St. Michael where it breeds. 



ZONOTRICHIA LEUCOPHRYS GAMBELI 



Gambel's Sparrow 



A common bird about St. Michael where they are frequently heard 

 singing from the roof of some building. 



