Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-26

vestigators In Northern Canada and other parts
of Alaska had failed to find any trace OF the
birds nest.
When DR.. Dixon first became active in the
quest, he decided to profit by the experience
of the other naturalists that had crossed the
surf bird trail and not look for 1t along the
shore where one would naturally expect to ma
the nest of sea-gcing bird.
Piecing together the information about the
few places where It had been seen and the
many where 1t hadn't, he made up his mind
to concentrate his attack on the high interior
mountains Of Alaska. So when he set out TO
ind Il ON an expedition supported by the Uni
versity Of California and a private donor, &C
companied By George M. Wright, he headed
directly for the Mount Mckinley district
The two men first sighted their quarry feed
Ing well up on the mountainside at an eieva-
ton Of about 1000 feet. where little rivulets
tumbled over the rocky cliffs from the snow
melting overhead.
It was evident that q striking change, unusual
IN birds. came about in the habits of the surf
birds as they moved from their Winter to
their Summer range.
Toward the end of the northward migration
they abandon the seacoast and take up resi-
dence from 800 to 500 miles from salt water.
ssT>HS involves" DR. Dixon points out. "a
great elLlCu0lnaI SuuC. 4HStcdO VI AVnB
at sea level as they do at other seasons, during
nesting time they are to be found on rocky.
barren mountains high above the timber line.
During the entire Summer We never found
these birds below 1000 feet elevation.
with this marked change in habitat has
come o corresponding great change In food and
food habits. In Summer, instead Of living on
sea food the surf bird turns to an insect diet,
living then almost entirely on active insects
which It captures by stealth or by fair chase
IN the open"
Yet, In spite of this, the character Of their
surroundings remains very much the same.
Apparently they must have their rocks. no
matter what the change in altitude or bill Of
fare. Their favorite haunts. DR.. Dixon found,
were on the rock slides Of the mountain where
perching places on broken points of rock were
much the same as the reefs they inhabit In
Winter.
This is the same sort Of range. strangely
enough, preferred by the Alaskan mountain
sheep. and it proved useless in fact, to look
for them outside Of sheep country.
Late one afternoon toward the endeDf May.
the attention Of DR.. DixOnS companion, MIR.
Wright, was attracted by an inconspicuous bird.
sneaking away hurriedly over the stony ground.
He watched with his binoculars and marked
the spot where 1t disappeared He set out to
investigate, but had about given up the job as
useless when he almost stepped on a bird
which flew up wildly, straight in his face
It was later observed that whenever noun
tain sheep gets too near a surf birds nesting
ground the creature flies up and "explodes" in
the startled animals face.
AS the bird few away Mr.. Wright identified
1t Enthusiastically as surf bird. CHANGING at
his feet he saw that he was about to put his
foot on one of the prize goals of American
naturalists for the last lao years. There, rest
ing In q little hollow in the ground and within
a foot Of o well worn high road of the noun
tain sheep were few scraps of ichens and
moss surrounding four eggs. The nest of the
surf bird had been found at last. The expedi-
ton was successful.
The two men joyously gathered together
notebooks, binoculars and cameras--both still
and movie-and prepared to camp behind q
pile Of rocks within close range of their find.
Only few photos could be taken In the fast
fading light.
Shortly after the long arctic twilight set in
. cold rain began to fall, but the surf bird