THE BIRDS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 403 



feathers can be seen. In No. 118769, July 30, only four old primaries remain, and the 

 new ones are well grown, but do not yet reach to the tips of the unmolted tertials. The 

 order of length in these new primaries is 4-3-2-1-5, and sixth very short, counting 

 from the innermost. ISTo. 118770,. August 5, is still further advanced; but three old 

 outer primaries remain in place. The longest new one, the fourth, is as long as the 

 tertials and the fifth is within half an inch of it. The sixth is yet very short. The 

 outer three tail feathers on each side of 118769 are still in place, the central having 

 dropped out and new ones showing. In 118770 the tail is like the other, but one of the 

 middle tail feathers is still undropped. In both these birds many new feathers have 

 appeared all over the body, so that the birds have assumed quite a gray appearance 

 owing to the whiteness of the winter plumage. No. 54586, August 13, 1868, St. George, 

 Oapt. E. E. Smith, is an adult still further advanced, and is more than two-thirds 

 changed. The new tail still has the outer feathers short and partly in the sheaths, 

 only the two outer old primaries on one wing and one on the other being in place. But 

 few of the summer feathers are to be seen. It would thus appear that before this species 

 leaves the islands they assume entirely their new dress. "And at this season [August 

 10] old and young flock together for the first time, and confine themselves to the 

 ■sand beaches and surf margins about the islands for a few weeks, when they take 

 flight by the 1st or 5th of September, and disappear until the opening of the new 

 season." — [Elliott.) 



As shown by Hartlaub (Jouru. fiir Ornith., 1883, p. 257), Drs. Arthur and Aurel 

 Krause found this species wintering along the Portage Bay shore of Alaska. Mr. J. W. 

 Johnson in April, 1885, also collected a number at Nushagak which are in the National 

 Museum collection. One, an adult female, is beginning to change to the summer dress. 

 A few black-tipped feathers of the pectoral patch have appeared on the breast, and 

 some new ones, full grown, dot the back, scapulars, and the occiput. On two imma- 

 ture males, taken about the same time, there are a few dark feathers scattered on 

 the back; otherwise they are in the whitish winter plumage. 



We have in this brief sketch of the life history of this species four conditions or 

 phases which are possibly unique among the Limicolae. First, they remain at their 

 summer home until the autumn molt is complete, and, conversely, they remain at or 

 near their winter habitat until the spring molt is at least well advanced; Second, they 

 have possibly the shortest migration range of any species of the order; third, their 

 migration route is first eastward' 200 miles over Bering Sea and thence southward 

 for some distance, to be reversed in the following season; and, fourth, it is probably 

 the fewest in numbers and the most restricted in habitat, during the summer espe- 

 cially. " These snipe are now in the lagoon at low water in flucks of from ten to fifty 

 or more. They run readily into the water up to their wings and sometimes swim the 

 small pools in the sand. They are constantly feeding, and will allow one to approach 

 with caution within a few feet. They feed head to the deeper water and keep the 

 bill well under the surface. They are apt to quarrel at such times, uttering a low, 

 harsh cry." — (Notes, W. P., August 5.). When several are flying past, one or more may 

 return and perch upon a rock or bank and indulge in a period of watching. The 



' This probably indicates the ancient proximity or continuity of the Alaskan shore line to the 

 islands. 



