1922] Swarth: Birds and Mammals of the Stikine Region 201 



indication of a black line on the chin separating the white cheek- 

 patches. In one case this bar is fairly well defined, though as each 

 separate feather is narrowly edged with white and has a white base, a 

 mottled effect is produced. In three the black is not continuous, merely 

 a string of disconnected black spots, and in one the white patch extends 

 uninterruptedly from cheek to cheek. Usually in the geese of this 

 region there is either a string of disconnected spots, as in the specimens 

 just described, or else a beginning of such a line extending forward 

 and backward on the center of the throat but not meeting. Very rarely 

 the black dividing line is continuous, broad, and well defined. I, my- 

 self, have seen two such specimens, but in neither case was there abso- 

 lute assurance that they were birds breeding in the Sitkan district. 

 Such birds might occur as migrants from a more northern region, 

 where intergradation of occidentalis and minima might result in the 

 occasional appearance of such a marking. 



Ardea herodias fannini Chapman. Northwest Coast Heron 



Only two seen during the entire summer. One observed on a sand 

 bar in the Stikine River some eight miles below Telegraph Creek on 

 July 5 may or may not have been of the coast subspecies, fannini. One 

 was seen flying overhead on Sergief Island, September 5. 



Gallinago delicata (Ord). Wilson Snipe 

 Seen only at Sergief Island. At that point, during the whole of 

 our stay, August 17 to September 7, Wilson snipe were abundant on 

 the marshes, not generally distributed, but always to be found about 

 certain favored spots, generally near fresh-water ponds. While the 

 usual manner of occurrence was for a single bird to be flushed, or per- 

 haps two or three within a few square yards, there were times when 

 snipe were noted in small flocks, almost like sandpipers in their actions. 

 Groups of ten or twelve individuals were seen circling about through 

 the air, in close formation and wheeling or turning in perfect unison. 

 At such times almost the only thing to betray the identity of the birds 

 was the call note, uttered at frequent intervals. At no time, however, 

 did birds flushed from the ground depart in flock formation. Eight 

 specimens were collected (nos. 39713-39720), taken on dates ranging 

 from August 18 to September 1. 



