:\rar., 1914 
BIRDS OF SITKA AND VICINITY, SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA 
.S7 
and pronounced by him to be ‘‘typical examples of alandiniis.” Two specimens 
secured by the 1907 Alexander Expedition on Baranof Island, and one from Chi- 
chagof Island, are stated by Grinnell to be nearer savanna than alaitdmns. A nest 
containing five fresh eggs was found by C. Littlejohn at an altitude of about 2600 
feet near Hooniah, Chichagof Island, June 25, 1907 (Grinnell, 1909, p. 228). I 
found Savannah sparrows fairly common in summer on grass lands from 2500 
to 3500 feet altitude on the mountains of Baranof Island. They were undoubted- 
ly breeding in this locality but no nests were found. A specimen was taken but 
was very badly shot up and was not preserved. The bill of this specimen was 
small and the superciliary stripe was whitish, rather than yellowish. For these 
reasons, at the time, I considered it alaudinns. 
Zonotrichia coronata. Golden-crowned Sparrow. Abundant migrant. Ar- 
rived in the neighborhood of Sitka September i, and was still pre.sent in some 
numbers a month later, although the height of migration seemed to have passed. 
It was noted from the shore up to above timber line on the mountains. .Accord- 
ing to Merrill, the return migration takes place mostlv in late April and early 
May. 
Spizella monticola ocliracea. Western Tree Sparrow. One specimen taken at 
Sitka by Bischoff (Dali & Bannister, 1869, p. 285). 
Junco hyemalis oreganus. Oregon Junco. Abundant summer resident, re- 
maining until late in the fall and possibly wintering, though I secured no posi- 
tive information on the latter point. Breeds from the salt water up to at least 
2000 feet around mountain meadows. About August 15 large companies of 
adults and young appear along the beaches where they feed among the piles of 
kelp and drift-wood. 
Melospiza melodia rufina. Sooty Song Sparrow. This species, originally de- 
scribed from Sitka (Bonaparte, 1850, p. 477), is a common summer v’sitant in 
brush and grass lands on islands and along the shore. After the latter ])art of 
August, I was unable to find it, all song sparrows observed after that time be- 
longing to the next form. A nest containing four slightly incubated eggs was 
taken by F. Stephens at Hooniah, Chichagof Island, June 23. 1907 (Grinnell. 
1909, p. 230). 
Melospiza melodia caurina. Yakutat Song Sparrow. Abundant migrant. Ap- 
pears in the vicinity of Sitka about August 15, and by September i is very plenti- 
ful. Was still common when I left, in early October. I did not secure any data as 
to the time of the spring migration. 
Melospiza lincolni gracilis. Forbush Sparrow. This bird was first de.scribcd 
from Sitka by Kittlitz (1858, p. 199), as Emheriza gracilis ; therefore I have used 
the name gracilis instead of striata which is used in the last A. O. Lh Check-List. 
It is apparently a fairly common summer visitant during some years, and much 
less plentiful during others. In the summer of 1912 I found it common in the 
grass around Swan Lake and in marshes at the head of Silver Bay. Young birds 
just out of the nest were noted in the former locality July 28. During 1913 1 
visited both of these localities several times but failed to find the species at all. 
nor did I note it anywhere else in the region. Grinnell ( 1898, p. 129) took speci- 
mens at Swan Lake, June 25, 1896, one of which was a juvenile about one-third 
grown. During the summer of 1907 the Alexander Expedition noted this bird 
at Bear Bay, Baranof Island, and at Port Frederick, Idaho Inlet, and Hooniah, 
Chichagof Island. A nest containing five young was found by Littlejohn m the 
latter locality June 26 (Grinnell, 1909, p. 231). 
Passerella iliaca townsendi. Townsend Fox Sparrow. Common summer 
