108 TJ. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 217 



their tails. Like wagtails they may suddenly take wing for no ob- 

 vious alarm, fly high in the air, swooping about unpredictably, and 

 sometimes return close to their start, or having gained 100 or 200 feet 

 altitude they may fly directly out of sight. 



In August, they begin to move more deliberately along and near the 

 ground on the Valley floor. In the Killik Valley in early August, 

 they were generally moving southward in considerable numbers, but 

 they were fewer than the wagtails. Some were seen at Chandler 

 Lake, August 16, 1950, and the last recorded was seen at Contact 

 Creek, September 2, 1950. 



Many pipits remain for nesting in the Valley but as many more were 

 seen during the spring and fall migration. A large population trav- 

 erses the Pass toward the arctic slope. 



The Nunamiut name Piorgamh refers "to the song." The name re- 

 sembles the designation Piorgak given to the Alaska yellow wagtail. 



Family BOMBYCILLIDAE: Waxwings 



Bombycilla garrula pallidiceps Reichenow 



Robert Eausch and Homer Mekeana saw a flock of Bohemian wax- 

 wings near the northern limit of spruce on the Savioyuk Eiver, Oc- 

 tober 15, 1950. In August 1951 John Krog and I saw a flock of some 

 50 feeding among the bushes and tree tops along the Alatna Eiver 

 north of the stream from Iniakuk Lake and just about at the southern 

 mountain line. I have obtained several specimens from Kobuk, 

 where the Eskimos name them JShooloktachailaJc, meaning "wearing 

 feathers like an Indian." 



There is no evidence that they pass to the open country north of 

 the forests, but in their wandering occupation of the wooded interior 

 of Alaska they occasionally reach its northern border. They are not 

 included in the avifauna of Anaktuvuk. 



Family LANIIDAE: Shrikes 

 Lanius excubitor invictus Grinnell 



4 males, adult 



Apr. 29-Sept. 5 



weight (3), 72, 73, 



plumage 





75 g. 



3 males, 1st year 



Aug. 6, 7 





plumage 







2 females, adult 



May 8, June 24 



weight 71, 64, g. 



plumage 







3 females, 1st year 



May 26-Aug. 7 



weight (1), 69.5 g. 



plumage 







3 males, ta first 



June 24, July 31 



weight 68, 67, 67 g. 



summer 







1, sex unknown, 



September 





1st year 







plumage 







