Page:Condor16(2).djvu/27

 Mar., !914 71 BIRDS O F SITKA AND VICINITY, SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA By GEOP, GE WILLETT WITH ONE PHOTO BY E. W. MERRILL URING the summers of i9'i2 and I913, which the writer spent in the neighborhood of Sitka, Alaska, in the interests of the Bureau of Biological Survey, much time was devoted to the general ornithology of this most interesting section. All the writer's person.al notes on this district were made between July 14 and September 2, I912, and between July 2o and October 3, 913 Some of this time was spent in the immediate vicinity of Sitka, .and fre- quent visits were made to Kruzof, St. Lazaria and Biorka islands, as well as to many of the smaller islands in Sitka Sound. I also traversed rather thoroughly .3everal of the more important ranges on Baranof Island, and three times climbed Mt. Edgecumbe, an extinct volcano and the highest peak on Kruzf Island. .Finally, through the. courtesy of U. S Forest Ranger. George PetesOn, I made 'a trip On the Forest. Service launch through Peril Straits to Hooqih.Sound and Tenakee Inlet, :Chichag/)f Island, down the. ;east side of Baranof Island as far as Patterson Bay, and across Chatham :graits to the western shores of Kuiu and'Admiralty' islands. Landings were made many times during this trip and I was 'enabled to make investigation Of the bird-life in these localities. My trips around Sitka Soun'd were generally made in a row boat which was .furnished me through tlie kindfiss of Mr. Arthur Shoup, Representative to the Territorial Legislature. The trips into the mountains were made on foot and my camp outfit, guns, ammunition, etc., were carried on my back. On some occasions I travelled alone, but 1 was. several times accompanied by Mr. E. W. Merrill of Sitka, by Mr. Robert Bardon of Grant's Pass,. Oregon, and by Forest Ranger Peterson. To each of these three gentlemen I am indebted for much assistance rende?ed and information given. Mr. Men ill, who is a fellow member of the Cooper Club, has resided in Sitka for over ten years, during which time he has taken a number of valuable specimens, and made many interesting notes on the birds of the region. He very kindly turned over to me all his notes, and the information obtained therefrom has added materially to this pap.er. i also received many courtesies and much valuable information from Deputy Unit- ed States Marshals John Goodell and James Brightman, and am indebted to Mr. A. J'. Wilkus, formerly in charge of the government experimental station at Sitka, for several specimens of raptorial birds secured by him in the neighborhood of his chicken yard. For assistance in ascertaining the identity of specimens, obtaining previously published literature, and in looking up old records, I am greatly obligated to Mr. Joseph Grinnell, of the University of California Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, Mr. H. S. Swarth, of the Los Angeles County Museum of History, Science and Art, Prof. Wells W. Cooke, of the United States Biological Survey, and Mr. W. Lee Chambers of Eagle Rock, Californi.a. The territory herein referred to as Sitka and vicinity comprises Baranon, Kruzof and Chichagof islands with their outlying islets and contiguous waters. As is well known, this district is one of excessive moisture and luxuriant vegeta- tion. On all of the islands, large and small, dense forests of spruce, hemlock and cedar extend down to the very edge of the water. Along the larger streams alders and willows are plentiful, and in many localities a dense undergrowth of