124 NATURAL HISTORY COLLECTIONS IN ALASKA. 



by 1.38, and 1.86 by 1.29. A second set, obtained in June, 1880, near Saint Michaels, measures 2 

 by 1.31 ; 2.09 by 1.30; 2.09 by 1.26, and 2.02 by 1.29. The ground-color is very uniform, the only 

 T^riation being to a slight bufiy shade, in some instances, and a slight increase, or decrease, in the 

 abundance of the dark markings. 



A curious fact in connection with this bird is the arrested state of plumage which occurs either 

 in spring or fall, and is well shown by several specimens taken in the vicinity of Saint Michaels, 

 which would indicate that it is of rather frequent occurrence. Two autumnal specimens — one 

 obtained at Saint Michaels October 12, and the other on the Upper Yukon — show this in a striking 

 manner. The black feathers of the lower surface, the dark feathers of the crown and back, as 

 well as the white frontal and supraorbital band of the nuptial dress, remain mixed with about an 

 equal amount of the ordinary fall plumage. Other specimens obtained in spring show the same 

 mixture from the retention of the winter plumage. There is no difference in the habits of these 

 birds, so far as I have been able to observe. 



The males are conspicuous objects, as they stand like silhouettes, their black and white breasts 

 and sides of neck presenting a sharp clear-cut outline on the brown and gray background. At inter- 

 vals their clear, mellow, and melancholy note rises for a moment, and then the bird apparently sinks 

 into a day-dream and remains motionless for some time, until he is prompted to assure his partner 

 of his presence by another call. The male at this season has a brighter plumage than the female, 

 and in places little frequented by man he becomes very unsuspicious ; near villages, however, he 

 is always on the lookout, and is dif&cult to approach even when he is found by his nest. Toward 

 the end of May and during the first of June the males utter a clear, rich song, which is frequently 

 heard during the twilight of the short Arctic nights. 



Where I was camping, at the Yukon mouth, the last of May and first of June, 1879, these 

 birds were scattered all about in the vicinity of the tent, and frequently, during the middle of the 

 night, the song was heard close by, and was extremely sweet and musical. One night, in particular, 

 I remember lying awake, listening to the usual continuous faint clicking among the disintegrating 

 ice in the river, which seemed to make the silence still more marked; suddenly, just back of the 

 tent, arose the clear plaintive note of the Golden Plover, which may be represented by the syllables 

 toolee-e. Soon after, in the same sweet mutjical tone, was uttered a marvelously harmonious 

 succession of notes, which I wrote down at the time, listening to the song as it was repeated again 

 and again, and ascertaining the exact number of syllables. These I find are very imperfectly 

 represented as follows : Tee-lee-lee, tu lee lee wit, wit, wit, wee-u wit, che leeu too lee-e. The three 

 last syllables are the ones most commonly uttered, serving as a call-note, but the song in full is 

 only repeated on special occasions, as before remarked, being oftener heard during the still hours 

 of the night than during the day, if, indeed, it can be called night when the sun disappears below 

 the horjzon for little over an hour. 



The courtship of this handsome bird is carried on very quietly, and I have witnessed no 

 demonstration of anger or quarreling among the rivals. When two are satisfactorily mated they 

 quickly go about their nesting, after which each pair limits its range to the immediate vicinity of 

 its treasures. 



During the cruise of the Corwin to the north, in the summer of 1881, this Plover was observed 

 at various points, mainly along the Kotzebue Sound coast of Alaska and upon Saint Lawrence 

 Island, where it breeds. It also occurs on Saint Matthew's Island at this season, but is not known 

 to breed on the Seal Islands, or south of them, except near the mainland, although it undoubtedly 

 occurs also upon the Aleutian Islands at this season. In DalFs paper on the birds of the Territory 

 he records its arrival on the Yukon during the latter part of May, and adds, that its eggs are 

 generally two in number ; but this latter statement must be an error, since the considerable 

 number of nests which I have seen all had complements of four. The young aie hatched and on 

 the wing during July, and by the last of September many have already left for the south, but 

 stray individuals are found well into October, the 12th of this month being the last date which I 

 noted. 



In the spring the male has the crown and back of a brownish black with a groonish-gray gloss; 

 the neck and breast are a sooty black ; the loral white spot is present, the feathers of the frontal 



