102 U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 217 



the arctic interior, several ornithologists have observed it during brief 

 visits to Umiat. In 1952 Cade and Schaller recorded bluethroats on 

 thirteen occasions while traveling along the Colville Kiver (Kessel, 

 Cade, and Schaller, 1953) . 



I am puzzled by the fact that I could find no acquaintance with a 

 bluethroat among the Nunamiut, for had it been seen along the Col- 

 ville, Simon Paneak is sure that he would have heard remarks about 

 its distinctive appearance. To be sure, the regular summer experi- 

 ence of Nunamiut along the Colville is now more than 20 years past, 

 but for the other birds of that region their recollections remain clear. 



The recent observations of scientists have not sufficient sequence to 

 warrant a suggestion that this migrant from Asia is significantly 

 changing its range or abundance in arctic Alaska. It may be that the 

 bluethroat is a late arrival in spring and that it occupies restricted 

 habitats in certain localities. 



Family SYLVIIDAE: Old World Warblers, Gnatcatchers, Kinglets 



Phylloscopus borealis kennicotti (Baird) 



5 males June 19- June 24 weight (7), 8.8-10.2, 



average 9.4 g, 



3 females June 19-July 23 weight (4), 8.5-9.9, 



average 9.1 g. 



1 sex unknown June 24 weight 8.1 g. 



2 young males Aug. 14 weight 9.7, 10.2 g. 



3 young females July 23-Aug. 14 weight 9.3, 10.7, 9.8 



I had hoped to see one of these birds because of the reference by 

 Baird (1869) of Dall and Bannister's (1869) specimen from Nulato 

 to the name of Kennicott, the brilliant leader of the early scientific 

 exploration of interior Alaska. Frequently I had discussed their 

 appearance with Simon Paneak, and he had tentatively connected them 

 with birds which he had known as a boy in the Killik Valley and which 

 were named Songakpalutunygik, meaning "small bird the color of 

 bile." 



In August 1950, we were delayed for several days at Odrivik Lake 

 in the Killik Valley by malfunction in the lubrication of the airplane 

 in which John Cross had come to take us out. Wliile I was hunting 

 among the willows covering the sand dunes along the river, I saw 

 several very small warblers actively feeding among the willow tops, 

 apparently taking small insects. I failed to get them in view of my 

 glasses, and they disappeared. As they were moving southward along 

 the river when seen, I ran to make intercepts of their apparent course. 

 At the third try and near a mile to the south I picked up a band of 

 five, from which I collected 3 specimens. Simon recognized them as 

 the Songakpalutunygik which he had known as a boy. 



