30 
manoeuvre was for was not clear. Several were shot with the -22 rifle, 
but they were very tenacious of life and a shot through the body with a 
hollow-point seldom actually killed them. Some so hit flew a hundred 
yards before falling. Some of the birds were quite wild, others compara- 
tively tame. They were wildest during the cold, blustery snow squalls. 
8 Adak island, Aleutian islands. April 13. 
6 
6 
13. 
13. 
13. 
13. 
White, much finely vermiculated plumage on 
crown, back of neck, and back. 
White, much fine vermiculated plumage on crown, 
back of neck, back, and tail. 
White, considerable fine vermiculation in crown, 
back, and tail. 
White, much finely vermiculated plumage on 
upper surface and across breast. 
White, very little summer plumage appearing. 
These birds too, assume the same finely vermiculated or speckled plumage direct from the 
winter plumage. As noted before, there appear to be no grounds for separating them from atkensis, 
though their size is different from mainland rupestris. They are listed here as chamberlaini, but 
with reservations. 
Lagopus rupestris townsendi? Elliot. Townsend’s Ptarmigan 
Ptarmigan were scarce on Kyska island and no specimens were 
secured. These birds were reported two or three times by Lieut.-Col. 
Broome and the officers of the ship during expeditions ashore. 
Lagopus evermanni Elliot. Evermann’s Ptarmigan 
During our three day’s stay at Attu island only three ptarmigan were 
found. A single bird on April 20 bounded up from the shore and flew 
wildly away. Next day, which was warm and sunny, two single birds 
were seen sitting on the brow of the bluff above the shore and both were 
secured. Even in life the difference between these birds and the previous 
forms was evident, the new blackish feathering giving them a decided 
speckled appearance. A climb to one of the hilltops disclosed no evidence 
of the birds at higher elevations. 
8 Attu island, Aleutian islands. April 21. White, a few dark feathers in crown, back of neck, 
back, and breast. 
8 “ “ “ 21. About the same. 
It is scarcely surprising that these birds have been given full specific status in the Check-list, 
for they are entirely different in coloration from any other American Rock Ptarmigan. The 
intrusive feathers of the back are almost black. In size they appear much like the previous ones. 
Milvus ater melanotis (Temminck and Schlegel). Siberian Black 
Kite. Clark, page 56. 
Milvus lineatus (Gray). Hartert, p. 1174. 
During May and June, kites were seen almost daily over the harbour 
at Hakodate. They seldom descended to the water but when they secured 
a morsel they carried it off and ate it on the wing, using their long legs to 
advantage, just as our Marsh Hawk does when feeding on the wing. The 
identity of these birds was rather guess-work, as the only specimen 
examined in Japan was a mounted one, so dusty and moth-eaten as to be 
hardly recognizable. 
