Further Records from St. Lawrence Island, Alaska
Further Records from St. Lawrence Island, Alaska
In two small lots of bird skins from St. Lawrence Island, Alaska, recently received from Paul Silook, an Eskimo collector resident at Gambell, in the northwestern part of the island, are several birds of interest. Three of these are new to the known fauna of the island, and one of them is new to the territory covered by the A. 0. U. Checklist. All specimens are now in the U. S. National Museum.
Anthus gustavi. Petchora Pipit. An unsexed specimen, in winter plumage, unfortunately without definite date other than “1937,” is the first of its species to be recorded from within the political boundaries of North America. This pipit breeds in Kamchatka and the Commander Islands west to northern Russia, and migrates ordina.riIy through China to the Philippines, Celebes, and the Moluccas. To find one far to the northeast of the breeding range, just exactly in the opposite direction from the migration route, is indeed surprising.
Limnodromus griseus scolopaceus. Long-billed Dowitcher. One specimen in breeding plumage was taken at Gambell; no date other than “1937.” This species has not been recorded from St. Lawrence Island before, but there is nothing remarkable about its occurrence there.
Nettion carolinense. Green-winged Teal, A “female” (a male by plumage), taken at Gambell on May 16, 1936, is the fvst record for ‘St. Lawrence Island. Nelson (Birds of Bering Sea, 1883, p. 88) stated that this duck “undoubtedly” occurs on the island, but until now no definite record was available. The specimen is definitely the American, and not the Old World, Green-winged Teal.
Anser albifrons albifrons. White-fronted Goose. One adult, unsexed, Gambell, May, 1937. Previously this species was known as a St. Lawrence bird only from osseous remains.
Herbert Friedmann
United States National Museum, Washington, D. C., January 3, 1938.
