NO. 2 BIRDS OF ALASKA AND SIBERIA — HERSEY 33 



ingly difficult to shoot them on the wing and, as I repeatedly found 

 from experience with the Yellow Wagtail, a small bird which fell 

 on the tundra could scarcely ever be found, no matter how carefully 

 the spot was marked. 



On the Siberian side this species was not uncommon, both at St. 

 Lawrence Bay and Cape Serdze. 



BUDYTES FLAVUS ALASCENSIS 



Alaska Yellow Wagtail 



A common bird from the Yukon Delta to Nome and probably as 

 far as Kotzebue Sound, although, except at Cape Espenberg, I did 

 not meet with it north of Bering Strait. This was on account of 

 my attention being given to other species and very little time spent 

 in localities suitable to this bird. 



A small series was obtained at the mouth of the Yukon, all being 

 in adult nuptial plumage. No young were seen up to July 2, from 

 which I infer that they nest later than most of the small land birds 

 do in this region. 



ANTHUS RUBESCENS 



Pipit 



Seen only at Unalaska where it was very common. 



HYLOCICHLA ALICIiE ALICI.S: 



Gray-cheeked Thrush 



About the mouth of the Yukon, in June, the song of this species 

 may be heard from practically every extensive patch of dwarf wil- 

 lows and alders. If it were not for its song the Gray-cheeked Thrush 

 would long remain undiscovered in these dense thickets, for they 

 are among the shyest of birds. No amount of " squeaking " ever 

 succeeded in bringing one of them into view, although from their 

 calls I often knew that two or three birds were moving about within 

 a dozen yards of me. Only by sitting motionless for a considerable 

 period did I ever get a glimpse of them. 



The swarms of mosquitos that infest these localities, at this sea- 

 son, render it difficult to sit motionless for more than a few minutes 

 at a time, but the slightest movement of any kind is sufficient to send 

 this shy thrush into the shelter of the heaviest part of the thicket, 

 from which nothing could induce it to return. 



