CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE NATURAL HISTORY OF ALASKA. 149 



Rarely did I find two or three of these birds even near each other, their habits rendering them 

 peculiarly solitary. While not shy, yet they are not easily approached, for as soon as they detect 

 danger they are apt to skulk, and rely upon their coloration of plumage to enable them to escape 

 detection. I was informed by credible natives that this species has been known to breed on the 

 small island (Whale Island) near Saint Michael's. Under the various circumstances which I ob- 

 served this Tattler I could not doubt that it breeds in that vicinity. TheUnalit term this bird Tu 

 va td tuli. Among the Aleutian Islands it was observed once on Unalashka, several on Atkha, 

 and twice on Attn. 



264. Numenius longirostris (Wils.). Long-billed Curlew. 



A single individual of this species was seen in the marshes, west of Saint Michael's, toward the 

 middle of the night of June 19, 1874. The bird was very shy. I succeeded in wounding it in the 

 tip of the wing and came near securing it. It took flight and flew just beyond gun range each 

 time I approached it. It finally flew beyond a hill, where I could not succeed in finding it. This 

 is the only instance of its occurrence in that vicinity, and is remarkable that it should be found in 

 that locality, for it was far north of its usual haunts. The great size of the bird, the extreme 

 length of the bill and pattern of coloration could not cause me to mistake it for hudsonicus, which 

 is not rare in that locality. 



265. Numenius hudsonicus (Lath.). Hudsonian Curlew. 



The Hudsonian Curlew is not a common bird in the vicinity of Saint Michael's. On the Yukon 

 Delta it is said to be quite common. I am not aware that it breeds in the neighborhood of Saint 

 Michael's. 



It does not occur on any of the Aleutian Islands to my knowledge. 



266. Numenius borealis (Forst.). Eskimo Curlew. 



A single specimen of this Curlew was obtained May 22, 1874, on shipboard about sixty miles 

 west of Nunivak Island, Bering Sea. 



The bird was much fatigued and made no attempt to fly when taken by the hand. 



270. Charadrius squat arola (Linn.). Black-bellied Plover. 



This large Plover is not rare in the vicinity of Saint Michael's. It prefers the drier uplands, 

 where it procures its food of insects and berries. They are seldom seen in flocks of more than 

 a dozen; half that number being the more common, and pairs or couples quite as often. I found 

 them always on the alert, and not easy to approach. 



They occasionally occur in the spring migrations on the Aleutian Islands, the more abun- 

 dantly on the western islands than those in the vicinity of Unalashka. I saw several on San- 

 nakh Island in the spring of 1878, and also in late August of 1879. 



The nests and eggs were not obtained. In general habits they are similar to the Golden 

 Plover. They arrive at Saint Michael's by June 1st and leave by September 25th. 



272a. Charadrius dominious fulvus (Ginel.). Pacific Golden Plover. 



The Pacific Golden Plover arrives at Saint Michael's by the 1st of June or perhaps a few 

 days earlier. It frequents the sides of the low hills as soon as the suow is melted. They are 

 rarely seen in flocks, though several may be seen at a time scattered over the higher parts of the 

 low grounds. 



They feed principally on berries of the Vaccineum and Empetrum on their first arrival, as 

 many of these berries do not dislodge until succeeding growths push them off. 



A few of these birds breed in the vicinity of Saint Michael's, but eggs were not obtained 

 by me. 



In the fall these birds become very fat, and are fine eating. 



I observed one of this species on Sanuakh Island in July, 1878, and one was brought to 

 me in plucked condition of body, but wing, head, and neck feathers remained on it ; hence 

 sufficient to identify it on the 17th of May, 1879, at Atkha Island. I also saw two of them on 



