46 U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 217 



females examined on May 30, 1951, the largest undeveloped eggs 

 recorded were respectively 2, 4, and 27 mm. in length. It appears that 

 eggs are laid during the first half of June. 



In Nunamiut the red-breasted merganser is called AkpahsruayooJc^ 

 which means "runs (like a man) on top of the water." Because of 

 their utilization of even small lakes and the river, a wide area of 

 suitable habitat is open to them and the population is rather large, 

 probably, because of their wide distribution, exceeding the nmnber of 

 white- winged scoters. 



Family ACCIPITRIDAE: Hawks, Harriers 

 Accipiter gentilis atricapillus (Wilson) 



Imale 



November 1952, 

 Iklakpuk Creek 



weight 1280 g. 



1 female 



Mar. 8, 1950, John 

 Elver 



weight 1290 g. 



The first specimen of goshawk was taken by John Morry in the 

 spruce timber along the John River not far from Hunt Fork. It is 

 known to the Nunamiut as Kidigamtch kiringit, and the old folks 

 were familiar with the regular nesting of a pair in that area. Gos- 

 hawks are not conspicuous in the forest and they were considered un- 

 common, or at least they were infrequently seen. I did not hear of 

 their being found on the tmidra until Mory Maptigak brought me a 

 specimen he had shot along Ikiakpuk Creek, some 30 miles north of 

 tree line on the southeastern approach to the low divide between 

 Ikiakpuk Valley and the watershed of Chandler Lake. 



In the period 1954-1956, goshawks were more frequently seen than 

 in earlier years near the limit of timber and a few were seen several 

 miles farther north. I am inclined to think that the increased observa- 

 tions of goshawks resulted from their following the great numbers 

 of willow ptarmigan which were migrating during those years. 



I still regard the goshawk as a bird of the forest which, as in the 

 case of our winter specimen, may venture a few miles over the tundra. 

 It is therefore designated a visitor. 



Buteo lagopus (Pontoppidan) 



No specimens of rough-legged hawks have been collected in the 

 Endicott Mountains, so that the race cannot be designated, although it 

 probably is B. I. s.johannis, which Tom Cade informs me he regards as 

 the form which he found along the ColvUle River. They are well 

 known under the name Ilyirgik, which means "basket sled," a designa- 

 tion which might refer to their feather clad legs. In 1949 the first 

 record was on May 5, in 1950 on May 19, in 1951 on May 3, in 1952 



