94 U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 217 



in hand. Smiling quietly to himself Loon marked Eaven all over 

 with black. When Eaven opened his eyes and looked curiously at his 

 feet, back, and tail he croaked with anger at the unhappy sight of his 

 uniform black appearance. Loon burst out in the crazy laughter for 

 which he is renowned. Maddened by the thought of how he looked, 

 Eaven seized a handful of ashes from the fire and threw them at Loon. 

 Loon was smart enough to dive into the lake, but not so quick but that 

 he got the ash-gray patch on his head as it went below the water. 



Now when Loon recalls what he did to Eaven he cannot restrain 

 his long bursts of crazy laughter as he sits safely on the lake. Eaven, 

 on the other hand, when he thinks of the affair expresses his feelings 

 in his sad hoarse voice. 



Family PARIDAE: Titmice, Verdins, Bushtits 



Parus atricapillus turneri Ridgway 



1 male Jan. 26, 1950, 



north of timber 

 1 male Oct. 7, 1950, weight 11.1 g. 



Savioyuk River, 



just south of 



timber 

 1 unsexed Jan. 26, 1950, 



Summit 



A number of other specimens of Yukon black-capped chickadee 

 could not be preserved. Four from Summit were brought into camp at 

 Kalutak Creek and examined on January 26, 1950. A specimen from 

 the upper John Eiver, 1950, otherwise without data, was kindly iden- 

 tified by W. Earl Godfrey. Numbers were observed in late September 

 and early October 1950 just within the northern limit of spruce forest 

 on the Savioyuk Eiver. 



The Nunamiut have a name for only one chickadee, Misikahak. 

 They recognize the brownish form and say that Misikahak applies 

 strictly only to the black-capped kind. It is known and liked for 

 the way it occupies the willows north of tree line in winter with the 

 attitude of being the proprietor. The ISTunamiut are accustomed to 

 seeing it north of tree line in winter but not in summer. It is possible 

 that this chickadee, downy woodpeckers, pine grosbeaks, and possibly 

 jays, may be required by nesting habits to remain in the wooded area 

 in surmner, but that upon completion of duties for reproduction, they 

 then wander north. 



Although it is difficult to see how extreme arctic cold and wind can be 

 endured by such a tiny bird, it appears oblivious to both. Its feathers, 

 like those of the jay and grosbeak, provide effective but thin insulation 

 and its habit of searching for food on the willow branches and twigs. 



