1911] Swarth: Alaska Expedition of 1909. 85 



date at which any Savannah sparrows were seen, one specimen of 

 sandwichensis and three of savanna were secured. On Corona- 

 tion Island, Savannah sparrows were quite abundant in the grass 

 growing on the sandy beach at the head of Egg Harbor, and of 

 five secured, three are sandwichensis. 



Passerculus sandwichensis savanna (Wilson). 

 Savannah Sparrow. 



Fil-st observed on Kuiu Island, May 3, when three were 

 secured and others seen. It was subsequently met with, 

 evidently migrating, at most of the points visited during May — 

 Calder Bay and Klawak Salt Lake, Prince of "Wales Island, and 

 on Coronation, Warren, and Heceta islands. On the Chickamin 

 Eiver, in June, the species was fairly common and evidently 

 breeding, the males singing from the tops of the scrubby willows 

 scattered over the meadows. It was next seen at Thomas Bay, 

 in August, where the birds were abundant in the swampy 

 meadows. At Port Snettisham and on the Taku River they were 

 also abundant, and evidently migrating. 



Twenty-three specimens were collected (nos. 9572-9594), 

 twelve summer adults, and one adult and ten immatures in fresh 

 winter plumage. Although I designate this series by the name 

 savanna, it is merely as a matter of convenience, for this Alaskan 

 race can hardly be considered the same as the one inhabiting 

 eastern North America, although the two forms have developed a 

 wonderful similarity. I am unable to detect a single constant 

 difference — at any rate certain selected individuals from the 

 eastern and Alaskan series at hand are absolutely indistin- 

 guishable. As a rule the Sitkan birds seem to have rather more 

 yellow over the eye than the eastern; other average differences 

 are the somewhat larger size and more slender bill of the former, 

 in both of which respects they approach alaudinus. It is prob- 

 ably a rather local race, inhabiting the Pacific Coast region 

 from the Sitkan district southward for an undetermined distance, 

 and separated from the range of the eastern P. s. savanna by the 

 broad stretch of country occupied by alaudinus. 



