ANAKTITVUK PASS 8^ 



They are, nevertheless, rather common birds, and generally more 

 numerous than the latter. Their Nunamiut name Nakrulik means 

 "horned." 



Family HIRUNDINIDAE: SwaUows 



Tachycineta thalassina lepida Mearns 



In summer I have regularly seen violet-green swallows at Settles, 

 but they are the least common swallows there. Only in 1954 did 

 Simon Paneak report to me that he had killed one on May 29 at 

 Anaktuvuk. He had seen them at Bettles with me, but as we have 

 no other report of the occurrence of this swallow in the mountains 

 I consider it to be too unusual to designate it as a part of the avifauna 

 of Anaktuvuk. 



Iridoprocne bicolor (Vieillot) 



1 female June 7, 1949 Weight 19.5 g. 



1 young male Aug. 15, 1949 



1 young female Aug. 15, 1949 



The two young tree swallows were identified by Alexander Wetmore. 

 They were large enough to fly with adult ability. One was recorded 

 seen at Tuluak Lake May 20, 1950, by Robert Rausch, and I saw two 

 at Summit June 5, 1952. On the same day some boys clearly described 

 tree swallows which they had seen. Swallows are said to come 

 regularly each year into the Yalley, but none are known to nest or 

 reside. The Nunamiut name TolugakneJc, which means "like a raven," 

 is applied to all swallows without specific distinction, nor with much 

 accuracy as to color. But I must observe that the flight of ravens in 

 the winds high over the mountain cliffs and peaks, where they may look 

 almost as small as swallows, has a similar lightness of aerial 

 maneuver. 



Tree swallows are common on the Koyukuk River at Bettles, and in 

 1951, 1 have seen them along the Koyukuk and lower Alatna Rivers, 

 the nearest places of occurrence yet reported. As these places are 

 less than 100 miles distant from Tuluak, two hours' flight could 

 bring in a visiting swallow, and that is probably the status of all 

 of the swallows seen in the Yalley. 



Riparia riparia riparia (Linnaeus) 



1 male June 6, 1949 weight 16.8 g. 



Occasionally an individual bank swallow is reported in Anaktuvuk 

 Valley, but none appear to remain. Knowing that Anderson (1921) 

 had reported seeing a cut bank on the Hula Hula River "thickly per- 

 forated with holes," I have looked for their nesting holes in the river 

 banks among the mountains. I have not found a sign of their nesting 



