184 2fATUEAL HISTORY COLLECTIONS IN ALASKA. 



By tlie last of May or the first of June the birds are mated, and each pair has its snug nest 

 carefully placed in the midst of a sheltering tussock, or on a dry knoll, where are deposited 

 from four to seven eggs, which is a quota. The young are out on the wing sometimes as early 

 as the 1st of July, but more generally by the 10th of this month, from which time they nnite 

 in small bands, frequenting the vicinity of the trading-posts and native villages, where they 

 remain in great abundance until the last of August or first of September, when they commence 

 their straggling departure for the south. While in the neighborhood of houses they are extremely 

 heedless of the presence of people, and are nearly as familiar as are the English sparrows in our 

 cities. By the last of September or the first of October the last one has passed away towards 

 the south, and none are seen until returning spring brings them north again. Some doubtless 

 remain to winter along the southeast coast of the Territory, but none are found in the north, nor 

 do they occur at this season on the islands of Bering Sea. 



The nest is generally placed on the drier portions of the flats ; a hummock or tuft of grass 

 is chosen, or perhaps a projecting bunch of dwarf willow stems, and as one comes directly upon 

 it, the female usually flutters off under one's feet; the male keeps in the immediate vicinity, and 

 joins with his mate in a cheeping protest at the intrusion. If the eggs are nearly ready to hatch 

 the females show the greatest solicitude, as they do also in case the nest contains young. In 

 one instance a parent was driven from her eggs just as they were about to hatch, and she ran 

 along the ground for a few yards, uttering a plaintive note, Uke ckee chee-chee, in a fine, vibrating, 

 metallic tone, at the same time dragging her outspread wings and tail upon the ground, and flut- 

 tering as though in mortal agony. Ordinarily they hover about or fly restlessly from tuft to tuft, 

 uttering a chirp of alarm and protest, until the intruder has left the vicinity. The males remain 

 in song but a comparatively short period, for by the middle of June scarcely a note is heard. The 

 adults change their summer to winter plumage toward the end of July. 



In a series of twenty-six nests, obtained in the vicinity of Saint Michaels during the first 

 half of June, is to be found so great a variation that it may be safely said no two are alike. 

 The nests vary in size from 2| inches in depth by 5 inches across the top, and in size of central 

 cavity from 2 inches deep by 3 inches across the top. The walls are thick and strong, composed 

 of an abundance of material, or they may be a mere cup shaped shell, barely sufficient to hold 

 the eggs. The majority of nests are composed of rather coarse grass, sometimes with moss 

 interwoven, forming a thick layer, which was frequently as thoroughly water-soaked as a wet 

 sponge when the nest was collected. The amount of material used depends greatly upon the 

 locality; in damp places a much greater amount is made use of, while in dry places the nests 

 are much lighter. Though the outer part of the nest was frequently formed of old and often 

 grimy or partly decayed vegetable matter, the interior was invariably composed of fine, soft, dry, 

 yellow blades of last year's grasses. These in many instances are unmixed with other material, 

 and in others are combined with featbers of the Ptarmigan or other wild fowl. In a few cases the 

 lining of the nest is a warm cup of feathers resting upon fine grass, and one has a thick lining of 

 feathers and dogs' hair. Some nests are so small that they may be inclosed in the hand, while 

 others can scarcely be inclosed by both, and the smallest nest collected may be inserted entire into 

 the cavity of the largest one. The largest nest contained also the largest eggs, and probably 

 belonged to an unusually large bird. 



The ground-color of the eggs (when it can be seen) throughout the entire series is a light clay 

 with a pale greenish tinge. The eggs of one set (No. 386), numbering four, obtained at Saint 

 Michaels, on June 6, 1881, measure respectively .90 by .65, .98 by .64, .95 by .65, and .92 by .68. 

 These eggs have a pale greenish clay-colored ground, and are covered irregularly with a coarse 

 blotching of reddish brown most plentiful at the large end. The markings occupy over half the 

 surface. Another set (No. 210), obtained also at Saint Michaels, in June, is marked somewhat in 

 the same manner, and the eggs measure respectively .80 by .57, .83 by .61, .79 by .59, .80 by .60, 

 and .81 by .61. In this set there are dark zigzag markings on every egg in addition to the other 

 marks or spots. The third set (No. 114), obtained on June 5, 1880, at the same locality, has the 

 ground-color concealed by the close light-brown markings which are so light that the ground-color 

 shows through and produces a decided olive-browu over the entire egg. They measure respectively 

 .81 by .61, .82 by .59, and .81 by .60. This set of eggs resembles in coloration the ordinary style of 



