140 ■ NATURAL HISTOEY COLLECTIONS m ALASKA. 



the Tumbler Pigeon, autl after descending nearly to the ground it would mount to its former height 

 and repeat the performance, so that its progress was a perfect series of these e^^olutions. One 

 of its favorite and most striking performances consisted of turning head down and by placing its 

 wings in a peculiar position descend rapidly about 20 or 30 yards with a swift screw-like motion. 

 The last bird always flew slowly and smoothly along as if enjoying the performance of its com- 

 panion. 



In markings and appearance these birds were apparently exactly alike. They were white- 

 rumped, slaty on the back and light below, with blackish wing-tips and the under surface of the 

 wijigs white. The feet were light colored. I tried again and again to secure them, but failed. It 

 is extremely probable that they were male Marsh Hawks, since the above-mentioned characters 

 apply to no other American hawk with which I am acquainted; the peculiar evolutions, however, 

 I have never seen performed by this or any other hawk. A series of Alaskan specimens shows all 

 the usual variations of plumage exhibited by this bird and agrees with specimens from various 

 parts of North America. Although these birds nest throughout their northern range I never 

 found them nesting in the vicinity of Saint Michaels. There is no definite record of these birds 

 from the Aleutian Islands, although Mr. L. M. Turner describes a small flock of hawks seen by 

 him at Unalaska, which were i:)robably this species. 



AcciPiTEE VELOX (Wils.). Sharp-shinufed Hawk (Esk. 0M-Mbv4 uTc-sM-guk). 



Dall records a female of this species killed on the Yukon, just above Nulato, on Ai^ril 29, 1877, 

 and tells us that the natives prize it highly, using its feathers for shafting arrows or for orna- 

 menting their dancing costume. Its value, like that of the Pigeon Hawk, was equal to one marten- 

 skin when the Western Union Telegraph Expedition visited the country. Since then hawk-skins 

 have less value and marten-skins are worth much more. Along the Yukon and northern portion 

 of the Territory it is outnumbered by the Pigeon Hawk ten to one. A number of specimens were 

 brought me from various points along the Yukon, and fragments of others were seen among the 

 natives at various other places in the Territory. It has been taken at Sitka, and is pretty generally 

 distributed through the wooded portion of the Territory, being very rare on the barren sea-coast, 

 and, perhaps, never occurring on the islands of Bering Sea. On the Upper Slave River, in the 

 Hudson's Bay country, it was found by Kennicott and Ross, nesting abundantly on the cliffs. Ken- 

 nicott also found a nest at Port Resolution, British America, which was made of spruce twigs and 

 placed in a spruce tree. A specimen which was taken on September 7 has been brought me from 

 Fort Reliance, and it arrives at Nulato the last of April. 



AociPiTEE ATEICAPILLXJS (Wils.). Goshawk (Esk. Abv-ungu-liWi-tuk). 



The present species of hawk is the handsomest, as well as one of the most abundant, of the 

 birds of prey resident in Northern Alaska. It is present everywhere throughout all the wooded 

 region, and in spring and autumn, especially during the latter season, it is a common visitor to 

 the open country bordering the shore of Bering Sea and the Arctic coast, and is a characteristic 

 bird in the fur countries, breeding nearly to the Arctic coast. Considerable numbers of these 

 birds were secured in the vicinity of Saint Michaels, and many others were seen during my resi- 

 dence at that place. Although many of these birds remain in the north during the winter, yet I 

 believe that a considerable number of them pass farther to the south. The presence of this bird 

 in portions of the Northern United States during winter indicates a partial migration. The young 

 and adults occur in about equal numbers in the vicinity of Saint Michaels, as is shown by the 

 specimens secured, numbering six of each. 



While on a winter expedition to the vicinity of Bering Straits some fragments of these birds 

 were foand in the hands of a native, and the bird was said to be common in that vicinity. Other 

 specimens were brought from Kotzebue Sound, and Dall found them common in the vicinity of 

 Nulato, where he secured a nest placed in a large poplar which was on a small island in the river 

 thickly overgrown with other trees of the same character. This structure was about 30 feet from 

 the ground, and was made of small twigs. The Goshawk preys extensively upon the Ptarmigan, 

 which it follows during the migration and winters with them on the Lower Yakoa and Kuskoquim 

 Rivers. 



