The daily progressive-miner., 1916-04-12
BIRDS OF THE NORTHLAND
SOME INTERESTING FACTS AS
 TOLD BY AN INVESTIGATION.


 est5ng account of the birds observ- ed during | trip in Alaska has just been published by the Smith ! sonian Institution, as reported by r. 2 Seymour Hersey, who was in the field for \. c. Bent, collecting data and phosographs for the completion of yhe life Histories of North American Birds"
 Leaving Seattle on the Revenue Cutter Bear, the party steamed uorthward through the Inside passage. where - the scenery was delightful all the way to Ketchi- ban. From that point the Bear gasse6 through Dixon's Entrance and headed for Unalaska. As they aeaged Unimak Pass various mem- hers 6f the Tuhinares, or tube-nos- a2 birds. were noticed. together with Saasy Shearwasers, PetrelS. and AL harnesses. As they approached the pass the number of birds increas- ed to point almost beyond be aef As far as the eye could see masses of birds were beided on the water. Murres and Puffins were everywhere. It was utterly im- possible Jo form any definite est;- nate Of the number of birds seen," says the author, declaring Hun dre3s of thousands does not ex- aggerate their abundance:" the ship seems to have literally plowed its way through them. The Bear lay a Unalaska three days, during which time Nr. Hersey collected number Of species peculiar to that locality.
 After touching at St. George and S. Paul Islands. they proceeded on So Nome. which port the ship did nor actually reach, on account of the ice, but anchored out in the stream and sent the mail ashore by dog teams. 1t St. Michael. Mr. Hsrsey left the Bear, and made ar engagements with the owner of 9 small open power boat to carry him and his outfit to the mouth q the Yukon River. They went through the so-called acanal7 be- tween S. Michael Island and the mainland, but encountered se- were storm which forced them to land and encamp for three days. Birds were plentiful h the neigh borhood of the camp. and Mr. Her zsy employed the time to good ad- vantage. securing several speci- mems Of eggs.
 Proceeding onward they arrived a- the mouth Of the Yukon and established their headquarters at 5as wireless station, eight miles from the native village Of Kotik. The country al around Is reported TeEg fat, making a safe feeding ground for me Little Brown Cranes and geese. since it was impossible to approach them unobser7ed. h mentioning t, Mr. Hersey says. So bare and level is the country that photograph of the river. taken from the shore, shows the opposite bank as nothing but a straight line, such as might be made across the print with Q ruler and 3 coarse stub per-" Here the aae-.g- remained during the greater par. of tke breeding season. He found Entails. and several species Of birds breeding abundantly: eal-5, Ierns and Jaegers common. aad Redpolls. Alaska Yellow wag- Eails, Willow Ptarnigan, and AL aska Longspurs also well represent ed in this region.
 Later n the summer he return ed to Nome and again embarked on the Bear, which stopped at many points along the coast, among which were Golovin Bay, Cape Prince Of Wales, Cape Dyer, Point Franklin, and Barrow. Before reach ing Barrow they encountered con siderable ics and were delayed ten daTs en route. At Barrow, the nerthenmost point on this trip, the ice conditions were So bad they only remained long enough to land the mail and take aboard several men who had been caught in the ice the previous season and obliged t9 winter at Barrow. Among the neHeomers was Mr. ". s. Brooks. Of the Polar Bear party, who had bees collecting for the Museum of Comparative Zoology.
 Aa soon as the ship was out of the ice, her course was changed