252 V. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 217 



of an explicit name. In spite of the history of long occurrence, the 

 variation in numbers seen from year to year shows that surf scoters 

 occupy the mountains irregularly. In this irregularity the surf 

 scoters stand in contrast with most nesting species. 



Wliere so many sharp-sighted people were engaged in observation, 

 the reported absence of birds at nesting time is significant. The 

 designation of birds as migrating individuals implies that they are 

 traveling to nesting grounds and not wandering. Of the 21 migrants 

 that do not remain at Anaktuvuk in summer, as listed in table 5, we 

 know the northern nesting areas of most. Taverner's goose {Branta 

 canadensis tavemeri) is an interesting example. I have obtained speci- 

 mens from family groups of these geese along the Koyukuk and 

 Alatna Eivers about 100 miles south of Anaktuvuk and a specimen 

 from Kobuk, about 140 miles west of the Alatna and also on the 

 southern watershed. Two specimens were obtained at Old Crow. 

 Cade and Schaller found families of these geese along the Colville 

 Kiver, about 100 miles north of Anaktuvuk (Kessel and Cade, 1958) . 

 The nesting area of these geese in the forested and in the tundra areas 

 of central arctic Alaska and Yukon is separated by an unoccupied 

 area of mountains about 200 miles across. Although there is a recol- 

 lection of a pair of swans' nesting in the Killik Valley about 50 years 

 ago the failure of swans {Olor columhianus) ^ geese {Branta, Anser, 

 Chen), and cranes (Grus) to nest in the mountains is historic 

 ISTunamiut knowledge. 



I am somewhat doubtful about the correctness of designating 

 shovelers {/Spatula clypeata) as migrants because I do not know that 

 they nest north of Anaktuvuk. Although they have been reported in 

 only two years of my observations, they are well known to Nunamiut 

 and other Eskimos, but Eskimo acquaintance with shovelers shows 

 that rarity rather than frequency of observation distinguishes these 

 unique-appearing ducks. From questioning I am sure that very few 

 shovelers have been seen in the Arctic and that the birds are not 

 common, but since the arctic appearance of shovelers is not a new event 

 the birds probably should be considered as migrants. 



Godwits {Limosa lapponica) are not often seen at Anaktuvuk but 

 the few observations indicate that they move swiftly through the 

 mountains. They are well known and named explicitly by the 

 Nunamiut, who have seen them nesting farther north, and I do not 

 hesitate to call the godwits regular migrants through Anaktuvuk.; 



Stilt sandpipers {Micropalama himantopus) and sanderlings 

 {Grocethia alba) have not often been reported at Anaktuvuk and the 

 numbers observed have been so few that I am not certain that they 

 were on a normal migratory path which would lead them successfully 

 to a nesting ground. Sanderlings are well known along the arctic 



