CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE NATURAL HISTORY OF ALASKA. 143 



the latter part of March. They are, however, not so abundant on the extreme westward islands 

 of the chain. 



They do not breed on any of the Aleutian Islands. 



The flesh of this goose is coarse, besides having a very disagreeable odor and fishy taste. The 

 latter can, in a degree, be removed by stripping off the skin and letting the body of the bird freeze 

 over night. When well roasted it is tolerable food. Several plucked birds were brought to me 

 from the Semichi Islands by natives, who had repaired thither to hunt sea-otters; and in the absence 

 of other fresh food the flesh of the Emperor Goose formed an acceptable change. 



The bird is very shy ; and, as it frequents only the most exposed rocks, is difficult to approach 

 openly. They are oftener obtained as they fly unwittingly over a concealed hunter. 



It may be well in this connection to add that the Russian name of this particular goose is 

 8a sdr ka. Many persons, having but a limited knowledge of the Russian language, and more igno- 

 rant of the rules for pronunciation and the sounds of the consonants, have presumed that the word 

 8a sdr ka is referable to the word Tsar, meaning Emperor, or to the word tsarskie (an adjective 

 derived from Tsar), signifying pertaining to a Tsar. 



The word tSa sdr lcais nothing more than the Russian word for Guinea Hen, N timid ea meleagris. 

 A certain resemblance of the two birds in coloration is obvious, hence the application of the nam e 

 in question. 



Another remark may not be out of place. Along the Aleutian Islands the name of this bird 

 in Russian is "IAdenna Goose" (Beach Goose), while at Saint Michael's the u Lidenna Goose" is the 

 White cheeked Goose, B. canadensis hutchinsii, and this bird among the Aleutians is called the 

 " Ttindrina Goose;" and again at Saint Michael's the "Tundrind Goose" is the A. albif 'tons gambelli, 

 or American White-fronted Goose, a bird that does not, to my knowledge, occur on the Aleutian 

 Islands. The specific name of this bird was a curiosity to me, and after much trouble I succeeded 

 in finding the following article in the J^ova Acta Academic Scieutiarum Iinperialis PetropolitanaB, 

 tomus XIII, 1802, p. 346: "Description d'une nouvelle espece de Canard et d'une vari6te de 

 l'Huitrier, qui se trouvent dans le cabinet d'histoire naturelle de l'Acad^mie Imperiale des Sciences, 

 par PAdjoint Sewastianoff. Present6 et lu le 8 octobre 1800." 



After giving a description and measurements of this species the article, on page 349, gives the 

 probable origin of the specific name : 



Ce cauard, dans le Catalogue des Oiseaux apportes par Mr. Billings, porte le nom.syste'iuatique A' Anas canagica. II 

 est ties probable que cette nouvelle espece a <5t6 decouverte par Mr. le Capitaine Billings sur Pile Cauaga, on Kyktak, 

 =une des iles Almontes la plus proche des c6tes de 1'AiueYique septentriouale et situee derriere le cap Aliazka, et que 

 le nom de l'espece, e'est a dire Canagica, a 6te impose' a cet oiseau du nom de la premiere He, ou de celui des princi- 

 palis babitans de Pile Kyktak appelee Caniagues ou Canagues, qui, peut-etre ayant apprivoisee cet oiseau, Tout rendu 

 doinestique. 



Ces sont les sanvages ties belliqueux et que les Russes, dans un second voyage entrepris par Scbelichoff, avoient 

 beaucoup de peine a se souinettre. 



Near longitude 177° west of Greenwich lies the large Aleutian island called Kanaga. This 

 island could have been reierred to in the above description, but as it says that the island is situ- 

 ated behind, " situe derriere le cap Aliazka," the peninsula of Aliaska, the island now called Kadiak 

 is doubtless referred to. The original Iuuuit name of Kadiak was Kaniag or Kanagulc. The name 

 Kyktak, as used above, is simply one of the many forms of spelling of the Inuuit word Kikhtuk, 

 meaning island. 



The geese form an important article of food in the Yukon District, alike to the white and native 

 population. They are mostly obtained by means of the gun. 



The best localities near Saint Michael's are toward the western end of the canal, along the 

 edge of the low grounds bordering the hills of the mainland, and near the village of Stephansky 

 (Athwik, native name), on the western side of Saint Michael's Island. This area is low,. inter- 

 sected with innumerable swamps and connecting streams, forming a flue feeding-ground for all 

 kinds of waterfowl. 



A regular camping outfit is taken by sledge and dogs to a chosen locality. In the early morn- 

 ing a site is selected where the geese fly round some ending of a hill range, for they fly low and 

 prefer to sweep round the hills rather than mount over them. They are frequently so low iu their 



