CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE NATURAL HISTORY OF ALASKA. 173 



536. Calcarius lapponicus (Linn.). Lapland Longspur. 



The Lapland Longspur arrives at Saint Michael's from the 5th to the 15th of May. A few ar- 

 rive at first, and before a month elapses it is the most abundant land bird seen in that locality. They 

 frequent the lower grounds on their arrival and retire to the higher levels as soon as the snow is 

 sufficiently melted. They have but little fear of man, and scarcely hop more than a few feet from 

 the path even when they have but just come. 



The mating season begins soon after their appearance. The pair usually select some open spot 

 that may be only a foot or so above the general level of the ground. The male takes possession of 

 the highest point of that ground and reserves it for himself during the season of incubation. The 

 nest is usually placed in a tuft of grass or dry moss. It is composed of grass and lined with 

 feathers, forming a snug home. The number of eggs is four or five, laid by the 10th of June. The 

 young are able to fly by the 25th of July. A second brood is often reared, and in my belief it is 

 only the earliest arrivals that rear the second brood, as those pairs which I had earliest noticed on 

 the nearer selected spots of ground were the ones that certainly had hatched two broods. 



The male is most assiduous in his attentions during incubation. He seeks the highest part of 

 the ground, and dashes into the air, to circle round and round the nestin gradually decreasing spiral 

 flight, while he utters a trilling note, a beautiful sound, then alights near by and utters a chirping 

 tsweep as he walks over the ground. In a few minutes he repeats the flight and song. This is 

 continued all the day, usually the first bird-song heard in the morning aud the last at night. The 

 last part of September sees these birds preparing for departure. They are gone by the 5th oi 

 October. 



The Lapland Longspur is abundant on the westernmost of the Aleutian Islands. At Attu it is 

 very abundant, at Amchitka scarcely less so, and especially abundant at Atkha. I have never 

 observed it at Unalashka at any season. At Belkovsky it was seen in July, 1881, and at Kadiak 

 Island it was abundant in August, 1881. Among these were many birds reared that season. 



542. Ammodramus sandwiohensis (Grinel.). Sandwich Sparroic. 



This little Sparrow is one of the earliest arrivals at Unalashka, usually by the 10th of May. 



By the 1st of June they become quite abundant. They frequent the grassy bluffs and sandy 

 tracts along the beach. 



They breed in June, in the grass. The nest and eggs were not obtained by me, though several 

 nests were shown to me and asserted to belong to this bird, but as I had no positive proof Icould 

 not accept them as such. 



The youug are able to fly in the latter part of July, though some young, that were just fledged, 

 were seen as late as the middle of August. I suspect that more than one brood is reared in a season. 



On the eastern Aleutian Islands this Sparrow is quite common. At Unalashka Island many 

 are to be found early in May. 



They are especially abundant on the low portage across the middle of Amaknak Island, lying 

 in the northeast part of Captain's Harbor. 



At Atkha Island I saw but few of these birds in 1879, and none farther west of this place 

 until I visited Attu Island in 1880 and saw a few of these birds. Young birds, just able to fly, 

 indicated they had been reared on the island. 



5426. Ammodramus sandwiohensis alaudinus (Bouap.). Western Savanna Sparroiv. 



The habits aud arrival of this species are identical with that of A. sandwiohensis. There is 

 nothing except in coloration to distinguish them. This species was not obtained at the Aleutian 

 Islands, but at Saint Michael's is as common as the other species. 



Upper bill dark ; lower pale ; feet pale. 



555. Zonotriohia intermedia Ridgw. Intermediate Sparroic. 



This sparrow arrives at Saint Michael's early in June. It is quite abundant among the alder 



patches on all parts of the island of Saint Michael's. It breeds here, as young birds were obtained 



in the first week of August in fully fledged condition. It leaves this vicinity in the latter part of 



August. I observed this bird at the mouth of theKuskokvim River in June, 1878, aud during the 



