Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-14
GREENLAND BIRDS.
Large Collection Made by Lieutenant
Peary.

Large Collection Made by Lieutenant
Peary.
From the New York Herald.
Birds of a strange feather are many of
those in the collection brought by Lieut..
Peary from northern Greenland. They were
shown and their peculiarities pointed out
by Mr.. Frank M. Chapman. assistant cur
ator of the pathological department of
the Museum of Natural History, before the
Lnnaean Society, at it's regular meeting OF
last week.
Mr.. Chapman exhibited the fifty or more
specimens that constitute the Peary col
lection and which had been prepared under
his direction. These specimens are only
small part of Lieut. Peary's original col
lection, the greater part of which having
been eaten by the dogs when the provi-
sions of the expedition had run low.
There are one hundred and forty species
of birds reported from Greenland" said
belong to the country, the other half being
found there on their visits from other
lands. Fifty of these are water birds"
An interesting member of the collection
Is a guillemot that was shot, by Lieut.
Peary. 1.-The guiIemots live in enormous
colonies" explained Mr.. Chapman, land as
the tens of thousands of females sit each
on single egg, on the edge of chtr, with
they darken the rocks. When approached
by boat, in their fright they suddenly
turn, presenting their light breasts, and
thus instantly apparently transform the
rock from black to white. Then. as they
take flight, they often carry their eggs
some distance between their legs, and lit
orally pelt the approaching boatmen with
them
The specimens of the guillemots show
| the remarkable change in the plumage of
arctic birds from the dark of summer to
the light of winter. This change is strongly
emphasized in the specimens of lagosus In
the collection, which are sufficient in num-
her to show every graduation from black to
| white, according to the season in which the
bird killed.
These changes are remarkable" said
Mr.. Chapman, for they are very radical.
and sometimes take place in single week
without the loss of a feather, there being
no moulting. This change is wonderful
example of protective coloration, the bird
in summer heirg nearly the color OF the
moss and arctic shrubbery. and IN winter
that of the snow. Some naturalists claim
that this remarkable change is not protec-
tive celebration, but that it is due to en-
vironment." -
The collection contains some most beauti-
full specimens of the sandpipers. In their
bright summer plumage: also of the swift
flying falcons The summer loon, with Its
beautifully shaded neck feathers. used by
| the natives for personal ornament, has a
fine representative in the collection
An elder duck. in the light plumage never
seen here. and accompanied by her nest,
built of softest down, is rare specimen
of the collection.
There is a complete series of snow hunt
inss. that shows the gradual progress IN
change of plumage from brown backs and
heads to black backs and white heads The
series is of especial interest in showing
that this change comes from, tie wearing
of the tips of the. feathers. The long
feathers lose their brown tips. exposing the
darker portion of the feathers on the back
and lighter portions on the head.
Lieut.. Peary did not prepare these
skins" said Mr.. Chapman, but employed
the native women for the purpose IheSe
women have a novel method for preparn g
the skins, and one very different from that
employed by us. They clean them by chew
ing them.
"Wben these women cleaners of bird
skins go out for social visit, they do not
take their fancy needlework to while away
the time but supply themselves with bird
skins on which they chew as they carry on
conversation"