168 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE NATURAL HISTORY OF ALASKA 



One Raven will secure a choice bit of offal and fly away with it. Another, desiring a share, 

 will give chase, which results in the most wonderful performances. The pursuer endeavors to fly 

 beneath and snatch it with the claws by turning over and grabbing it from the beak or claws of 

 the other. The first is ready to turn abruptly upward and sail for many feet directly up. The 

 pursuer follows, and a dash to the very ground ensues, after which the chase is continued until the 

 one drops the morsel or the other becomes tired of pursuit. 



I have seen a Raven chase a duck (Histrionicus histrionicus Link.) for over a mile. The 

 Raven kept at the same distance from the duck, neither gaining nor decreasing the distance of 

 about 20 yards between them. I had a good view of the chase, and saw the duck start out of the 

 water about 20 yards ahead of the Raven as the latter was listlessly flying over. The Raven took 

 after it with a " hwak" which urged the duck on at a rapid rate. The Raven increased his speed 

 to keep up with all the turns and angles of the duck, which finally flew out to seaward, upon 

 which the Raven ceased pursuit and flew along just as though nothing had happened. The Raven 

 chased that duck for no other reason than pure maliciousness. I have reason to believe the Raven 

 could have caught the duck if it had wanted to do so, as I had seen Ravens fly faster on many occa- 

 sions, but never before had seen a Harlequin Duck in a hurry. At Atkha Island I saw a nest con- 

 taining two, nearly fledged, young Ravens. The nest was placed on a ledge of a low cliff. The nest 

 was composed of dried stalks of a species of Archangelica, which grows abundantly on all the islands, 

 and some dried fronds of seaweed. The rocks in the neighborhood were whitened by the excre- 

 ment of these filthy birds. The walls of the bluff formed a rather narrow angle, and when I ap- 

 proached the nest the clamor of the young birds was deafening. 



The young are able to fly by the middle of June. The young do not assume the lustre of the 

 adult before the next year. 



The notes of the Raven are extremely varied to express surprise, danger, satisfaction, or nearly 

 anything else, as they convey much by their note. A single male will sit on some slightly ele- 

 vated knoll, and with outstretched, ruffled neck, he utters a note that sounds like that of a choking 

 dog. Two will get close together in early spring and talk to each other for half an hour, uttering a 

 series of kuttle, kuttle, kuttle, all the while. 



When one has a piece of offal stolen from him he utters a hwah. On the wing they utter a 

 short croak, at other times they utter al liikh, al liikh, which sounds like the Aleut word for two. 

 The similarity of the sounds caused me to remark to a small boy, who was with me that a Raven, which 

 had just flown by and uttered his allukh, allukh, had counted us correctly. The boy did not com- 

 prehend my remark until I informed him that there were but two of us and that the Raven said so 

 as he flew by. The boy was some time laughing at the idea of a Raven counting us in the Atkhan 

 dialect. 



The Eskimo name of this bird is Tu lu kag uk. The Unalashkans call it Ka lu kak. The 

 Attu Islanders call it Ka'l gakh. Throughout the entire Territory this bird is intimately connected 

 with the myths and legends of the natives. They ascribe deeds of valor, heroism, sagacity, and 

 deepest cunning to the Raven. 



509. Scolecophagkjs cabOlinus (Miill.). Busty Blackbird. 



The Rusty Blackbird is one of the earliest land birds to arrive at this locality (Saint Michael's) ; 

 May 25th being the earliest date recorded. It is not common here, and does not breed in this 

 neighborhood to my knowledge. On the Lower Yukon River it is said to be abundant. 



Along the upper part of the Yukon River, especially in the neighborhood of Fort Yukon, this 

 bird is abundant. It arrives there by the 10th of April and remains until October. 



The iris is white ; bill and feet black. 



The Eskimo name of this bird is Kdth ka gd yuk. 



I did not observe this Blackbird on Aliaska nor on the Aleutian Islands. 



515. Pinicola enucleatoe (Linn.). Pine Grosbeak. 

 The Pine Grosbeak is a resident of the interior and wooded districts of the entire Territory of 

 Alaska. It occasionally visits the Redoubt of St. Michael's during a warm period of weather in 

 winter. 



