132 U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 217 



Grinnell (1900) is the only naturalist who has observed the inte- 

 rior of the Kobuk Valley during all seasons of the year. Earlier 

 McLenegan (1889) and Townsend (1887) had reported upon the birds 

 they found during arduous summer expeditions for exploration of 

 the Kobuk Eiver, and Stoney (1900) left only a few comments on 

 natural history based on his magnificent explorational travels in the 

 region in 1885-1886. Grinnell described the birds which he found 

 around Kotzebue Sound and around his winter camp on the Kobuk 

 opposite Hunt River about 70 air miles from Kotzebue. I have selected 

 those species which the three authors remarked as occurring along the 

 wooded interior part of the Kobuk River. I find that McLenegan 

 recorded 60 species, Townsend 50, and Grinnell 85. Their combined 

 records list 99 species on the wooded Kobuk. 



Since 1952 I have been at Kobuk Village on five occasions, during 

 which I have observed the birds there and obtained a few specimens. 

 The major part of my information, however, has been gained from 

 discussion with some of the 60 resident Eskimo, and especially from 

 migration records and lists prepared for me in 1954 by Charles Shel- 

 don, who has long been a local leader in school and church affairs. 

 (William Irving and I were led by Sheldon to a cursory examination 

 of a number of old depressions which probably represented sites of 

 ancient winter houses ; these were at the mouth of Kugaluktuk Creek 

 and are now overgrown with sizable trees.) Harry Brown, the long 

 respected trader at Kobuk and member of the Alaska Game Com- 

 mission, introduced me to the people who best knew the country and 

 Simon Paneak, from his long acquaintance with the country and his 

 knowledge of the people helped me to evaluate the information 

 obtained. 



As an aid for our discussion of birds we had a list of Nunamiut 

 names for about 90 species of birds (L. Irving, 1953) . Sheldon named 

 103 species in the Kobuk manner of speech and recognized explicitly 

 110 species of the list of 122 birds of Kobuk which I have compiled 

 from published records and our information. Nunamiut and Kobuk 

 names differ to some extent (L. Irving, 1958a), but Paneak and 

 Sheldon were familiar with each other's nomenclature through the long 

 and friendly relations of their people. Sheldon prepared several 

 specimens and kept a journal of his observations during April, May, 

 and early June 1954. 



The combination of ancestral Eskimo knowledge of natural history 

 with the current observations of individuals and communities affords 

 information gathered by lifelong observers in all weather and situa- 

 tions. No visitor can by himself gain such understanding of the fauna 

 as is possessed by some of the older members of these Eskimo com- 

 munities. It is not easy to prepare one's self to receive the in formation 



