CHICAGO ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. ' 2(5 
his claws on the back of his head ; in proof of which, they i^oint to the 
yellow mark of the " fat," which remains till this day. D. 
23. Colaptes auratus Sw. (97.) Iris black, or nearly so. Obtained 
a fine male of this species, June 23rd, 1867, 150 miles below Fort Yukon, 
on the river. Mr. McDougal gave me another male skin, taken in May. 
It is seen rarely at Nnlato and the Indians say it breeds there. Tiiey 
call it the Shot-bird. A summer visitor. 
In this bird we have an example of the remarkable western range 
of some eastern species north of the Alaskan Mts. D. 
24:. Colaptes mexicamis Sw. (98.) Red Shafted Flicker. This 
species was obtained by BischoiF, at Sitka, where it takes the place of 
G. auratus. D. 
25. Selas2)horus rufus Sw. (103.) Humming Bird. Abundant at 
Sitka, where it breeds. Bischoff obtained sixteen specimens. Its occur- 
rence there has been noticed by several arctic voyagers. D. 
26. Ceryle alcyon Jioie. (117.) Kingfisher. This species was received 
from Bischoff, from Sitka. I found it from Fort Yukon to the sea. Ob- 
tained a male near the Mel6zikarkat River, June 2nd, 1867, and a female 
at Fort Yukon, June 27th, 1867. This bird is common on the Yukon, 
wherever a small stream runs into the river. It digs a long tunnel (six 
to fifteen feet) into some sandbank and on a little dry grass lays its eggs. 
The tunnel usually curves near the inner end either to the right or left. 
Toward the end of June, I have noticed the male bird apparently 
amusing himself by digging holes into the bank near his nest. These 
holes were never more than two feet in longitudinal extent and from six 
to eight inches in diameter. He appeared to abandon them as soon as 
made, but I have seen him fly into one to eat a fish which he had just 
captured. D. 
27. Turdus nanus Aud. (150.) Dwarf Thrush. Obtained at Sitka 
and Kadiak, by Bischoff". Not common. D. 
28. Turdus ustulatus ^wtX,. (152.) Oregon Thrush. Three speci- 
mens were obtained at Sitka by Bischoff". D. 
29. Turdus Swainsonii Cab. (153.) Olive-backed Thrush. Eyes 
black. Obtained quite a numl:)er of this species with its nests and 
eggs. It builds in low bushes and thickets not i'ar from the water. It 
arrives about the 20th of May and remains all summer. Common all 
along the river Yukon, from Fort Yukon to the sea. It has a very 
melodious song, though not a long one, and it does not sing much. 
D. 
30. Turdus Aliciae Baird. (154.) Gray-cheeked Thrush. This 
species was found, rarely, on the Yukon. Four eggs were obtained in 
