ANAKTUVUK PASS 47 



on May 9, and in 1953 on May 3. In 1949, early observations were 

 made more continuously than in other years by Thomas Brower, who 

 reported one or two daily early in May and six on May 13. All these 

 birds were flying northward in evident migration. One nest was seen 

 by Simon Paneak in 1938 at Okpikyuak Eiver near the momitain line 

 in Tuluak Valley and another just east of the Killik Valley, but they 

 are known to nest commonly on the cliffs which extend from Umiat 

 northeast along the Colville River and this site is presumed to be the 

 destination of these migrants through the Pass. A few are seen during 

 the southward migration, but they are then never as conspicuous as 

 when northward bound. They are probably rare as nesting summer 

 residents in the mountains but regular as migrants in the Pass. 



Aquila chrysaetos canadensis (Linnaeus) 



No American golden eagles were brought into the collection, but 

 several were examined for parasites by Robert Rausch, and numerous 

 others have been brought in for my examination. The earliest 

 sight records are April 7-10, 1948, when four were caught in wolf 

 traps; March 29, 1949, April 3, 1950, April 10, 1951, March 28, 

 1952, April 4, 1953, and March 23, 1954. During April, May, and 

 June, more eagles were seen than during the summer, the largest 

 number reported by Thomas Brower being 14 on June 20, 1949. Dur- 

 ing the summer one or two eagles are usually in sight soaring high over 

 the mountains or along the precipitous slopes of the upper sides of 

 the Valley. In spite of their impressive size and capable flight, they 

 are without expression, not social, and, in comparison with the ravens, 

 uninteresting. In their individual and varied social activities, ravens 

 are always expressive of purposive play or shrewd hunting. 



In Nunamiut, the eagle is called Tikmiakpuk^ meaning "largest 

 bird." They nest in the mountains and occur in larger numbers dur- 

 ing the fall migration. The latest record was September 14, 1950, 

 at Contact Creek. 



Many eagles migrate through the Pass in spring, but as there are 

 few cliffs upon which they could nest north of the mountain line, and 

 as eagles are seldom seen on the arctic coast, their only known north- 

 ern destination on the arctic slope is the cliffs along the Colville River 

 northeast of Umiat. 



A single example for Contact Creek weighed 5900 grams. 



Haliaeetus leucocephalus alascanus Townsend 



Northern bald eagles have been occasionally seen in the mountains, 

 but only as visitors, giving no appearance of seeking residence. Simon 

 Paneak recalled seeing several in the Valley in 1948, and had only 

 rarely seen one along the eastern Alaskan arctic coast. I saw one on 



