Anser albifrons frontalis Baird: White-fronted goose.—Specimen, 1: 9⁄10 mi. W and 9⁄10 mi. N Umiat, 152°10'58", 69°22'53", 380 ft., No. 31303, ad. female, July 1, 1952.
As late as June 24, 1952, white-fronted geese were in flock formation at Umiat. Eight days later (July 1), 9⁄10 mile west and 9⁄10 mile north of Umiat, a nest held six incubated eggs; the embyros showed natal down. The nest was in a depression of moss (not excavated) on a mound 45 cm above water level among polygons. The concavity of the nest was 320 mm in diameter and was lined with an 80 mm thickness of sticks, pieces of moss, stems of grass and miscellaneous material. The cup, 160 mm wide and 80 mm deep, was lined with down feathers from the bird. The nest and brooding bird blended with the vegetation of Vaccinium, Arctagrostis, mosses and lichens. When the observer was 25 feet distant the female left the nest. She measured 685 mm in total length and weighed 2268 grams. The largest ovum was three mm in diameter.
On August 30 and 31, 1951, 16 white-fronted geese were feeding on the tundra along Seabee Creek. They called frequently at night.
When we flew from Point Barrow to Kaolak (July 20, 1951), approximately 100 miles southwest of Point Barrow, 12 white-fronted geese were in one group, and on a return trip (July 27) along the same route we noted several small groups.
Upon our arrival at Barrier Lake, northwest of Teshekpuk Lake on July 29, 1951, 12 white-fronted geese were resting at the south end of the lake. They had consistently used this shore, as well as the entire east shore line as evidenced there by fecal deposits. In the seven days that we camped at this lake the geese remained in the area but never returned to their original resting grounds. In the mud and silt of a lagoon on the west side of the lake, numerous tracks of these geese were associated with tracks of caribou, Arctic fox, wolf and small shore-birds. On August 1, thirty-five white-fronted geese left the north end of the lake and flew west approximately one mile where they remained feeding and calling until midnight. On the morning of August 3, two geese flew south over our camp to Teshekpuk Lake and at 8:45 P.M., 15 flew to the west.
Chen hyperborea hyperborea (Pallas): Snow goose.—Atanak, an Eskimo, told us that snow geese were common along the coast at Wainwright in the early spring of 1951. On the date of interrogation (July 18, 1951) he reported that none was in the area.
Anas acuta Linnaeus: Pintail.—Specimens, 2: 2 mi. W Utukok River, 161°15'30", 68°54'50", 1275 ft., No. 31304 and 31305, ad. females, Aug. 30, 31, 1952.
At Kaolak River (July 15, 1951), the primary feathers of a female in breeding plumage were being replaced by new feathers then 25 millimeters long. She was unable to fly and had secluded herself in the sedges and grasses along the edge of a lake. On July 18, a male flew over this lake. These were the only two pintails observed in this area.
At Kaolak (July 21-27, 1951), within one mile of our camp there were four females with young in groups of 4, 5, and 6. The young birds of the group of five were 75 mm in length. On June 17, 1952, several pintails were feeding in the Salt Water Lagoon at Point Barrow.
The largest of two adult females collected on August 30 and 31, 1952, two miles west of Driftwood, was 536 mm in total length and weighed 729 grams.