156 



CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE NATURAL HISTORY OF ALASKA. 



Example 85599 9 ad. June 7, 1879, from the same locality, is similar in pattern of coloration. 

 Bill and iris black ; claws black, with white edges and tips. 



When I first obtained these birds I was struck with the greater size and also with the shape 

 of the bill and greater length of the claws when compared with the mainland bird. This bird 

 frequents the lowlands and hills of the western islands of the Aleutian Chain. They are quite 

 plentiful on Atkha, Amchitka, and Attu Islands. The nest is built amongst the rank grasses at 

 the bases of hills and the lowlands near the beach. The nest is carelessly arranged with few 

 dried grass stalks and other trash that may be near. The eggs vary from eleven to seventeen, 

 and are darker in color than those of rupestris, and but slightly inferior in size to those of L. 

 lagopiis. A number of eggs of this species were procured, but broken in transportation ; hence, can 

 give no measurements of them. The general habits of this species are those of the other species. 

 At Attu they frequent the higher elevations, probably on account of the great number of foxes 

 (Vulpes lagopus, Baird), which occur on that island, and have but little to subsist on. The natives 

 of Attu assert that this same species of Ptarmigan occurs on Agattu Island, and that it is quite 

 numerous there, probably on account of the absence of foxes.* 



The following tables show the comparative measurements of eight males and seven females of 

 rupestris, taken from various localities in the central part of the Hudson Bay Territory and from 

 Alaska : 







CH 







a 



















o 















i 











D, 







9 • 









cS 











* a 







sf 



cm £ 



m 







3 











s y * 







CD 





CO 



CD 



O 































CD 

 P< 



JO 



a 



m 



^ a 



cS 



GO 







to 



CD 



•5 



CD 



% 









o 



* 



"3 



o 



W 



3 

 H 



cS 



EH 



9 



3 



* 







.77 



.38 



.76 



.32 



.19 



4.10 



1.21 



.97 



.62 



7.50 



Eight examples. 

 Seven examples. 





,80 



.37 



.71 



.30 



.18 



3.90 



1.10 



.94 



.55 



7.10 









Measurements of two males and tivo females of atkhensis from Atkha Island. 



Average cf 

 Average $ . 



.91 



.44 



.87 



.36 



.24 



4.25 



1.34 



1.06 



.65 



7.82 



.89 



.44 



.83 



.36 



.24 



4.00 



1.28 



1.10 



.57 



7.69 



Two examples. 

 Two examples. 



331. Circus htjdsonitjs (Linn.). Marsh JSaioTc. 



The Marsh Hawk appears to be a resident of the Yukon district only between the early part 

 of April and late November. Many specimens were obtained from the interior and none during 

 the winter months. A single specimen was killed at Saint Michael's, where it is rare. It frequents 

 the lowlands and rolling ground, and especially the neighborhood of extensive marshes bounded 

 by low hills, where its food of ducks and large snipe abound. I did not obtain nest or eggs, though 

 it breeds in the interior. At Fort Yukon it appears to be abundant, as many specimens were ob- 

 tained from that locality in May of 1875 and 1876. 



A flock of ten individuals of this Hawk were seen near the graveyard near Uiuliuk Village on 

 Unalashka Island. The birds wheeled round and around my head, and at times darting after my 

 cap, which I threw into the air. I never observed it before or after that date, October 16, 1878. 



This species is a rare summer visitor to Attu Island. 



332. Accipitee velox (Wils.). Sharp-shinned Hawlc. 



Several individuals of the Sharp-shinned Hawk were seen in the vicinity of Saint Michael's. 

 I could not obtain a specimen. The natives of the lower Yukon River use the skins of this species 

 in several of their ceremonies performed over the sick. 



This species does not visit the Aleutian Islands. 



* The Eock Ptarmigan occurring on the Nearer Group of the Aleutian Islands may prove to be distinct from 

 the one procured from Atkha, as the isolated condition of the group will fully warrant the assumption. I saw the 

 Attu Ptarmigans only in winter, a period of the year not to be taken as a time for making comparisons of birds so 

 nearly alike at that season. 



