These people are acquainted with the following animals, all of which
are more or less hunted, and serve some useful purpose.
_Mammals._--The wolf, amáxo (Canis lupus griseo-albus), is not
uncommon in the interior, but rarely if ever reaches the coast. Red
and black foxes, kaiă´ktûk (Vulpes fulvus fulvus and argentatus), are
chiefly known from their skins, which are common articles in the trade
with the eastern natives, and the same is true of the wolverine,
ka´vwĭñ (Gulo luscus), and the marten, kabweatyía (Mustela americana).
The arctic fox, tĕrĭgûniɐ (Vulpes lagopus), is very abundant along the
coast, while the ermine (Putorius erminea) and Parry’s spermophile
(Spermophilus empetra empetra) are not rare. The last is called
sĭksĭñ. Lemmings, a´vwĭñɐ, of two species (Cuniculus torquatus and
Myodes obensis) are very abundant some years, and they recognize a
tiny shrewmouse (Sorex forsteri). This little animal is called ugrúnɐ,
a word corresponding to the name ugssungnaĸ given to the same animal
in Labrador, which, according to Kleinschmidt,[N91] is an ironical
application of the name of the largest seal, ugssuk (ugru at Point
Barrow), to the smallest mammal known to the Eskimo. The same name is
also applied at Point Barrow to the fossil ox, whose bones are
sometimes found. The most abundant land animal, however, is the
reindeer, tŭ´ktu (Rangifer tarandus grœnlandicus), which is found in
winter in great herds along the upper waters of the rivers,
occasionally coming down to the coast, and affords a very important
supply of food.
[Footnote N91: Grønlandsk Ordbog, p. 386.]
The moose, tŭ´ktuwŭñ, or “big reindeer” (Alce machlis), is well known
from the accounts of the Nunatañmiun, who bring moose skins to trade.
Some of the natives have been east to hunt the mountain sheep, i´mnêɐ
(Ovis canadensis dalli), and all are familiar with its skin, horns,
and teeth, which they buy of the eastern natives. The musk ox, umĭñmau
(Ovibos moschatus), is known only from its bones, which are sometimes
found on the tundra. Inland, near the rivers, they also find a large
brown bear, ă´kqlak, which is probably the barren ground bear, while
on the ice-pack, the polar bear, nä´nu (Thalassarctos maritimus), is
not uncommon, sometimes making raids on the provision storehouses in
the villages.
The most important sea animal is the little rough seal, nĕtyĭĸ (Phoca
fœtida), which is very abundant at all seasons. Its flesh is the great
staple of food, while its blubber supplies the Eskimo lamps, and its
skin serves countless useful purposes. The great bearded seal, úgru
(Erignathus barbatus), is less common. It is especially valued for its
hide, which serves for covering the large boats and making stout
harpoon lines. Two other species of seal, the harbor seal, kasigía
(Phoca vitulina), and the beautiful ribbon seal, kaixólĭñ (Phoca
fasciata), are known, but both are uncommon, the latter very rare.
Herds of walrus, ai´bwêk (Odobænus obesus), pass along the coast in
the open season, generally resting on cakes of floating ice, and are
pursued for their hides and ivory as well as their flesh and blubber.
Whales, akbwêk, of the species Balæna mysticetus, most pursued for its
oil and whalebone, travel along the coast in the leads of open water
above described from the middle of April to the latter part of June in
large numbers, and return in the autumn, appearing about the end of
August. White whales, kĭlĕlua (Delphinapterus sp.), are not uncommon
in the summer, and they say the narwhal, tugálĭñ (Monodon monoceros),
is occasionally seen. They are also acquainted with another cetacean,
which they call áxlo, and which appears from their description to be a
species of Orca.
_Birds._--In the spring, that is during May and the early part of
June, vast flocks of migrating ducks pass to the northeast, close to
the shore, a few only remaining to breed, and return at the end of the
summer from the latter part of July to the end of September. Nearly
all the returning birds cross the isthmus of Point Barrow at Pernyɐ
where the natives assemble in large numbers for the purpose of taking
them. These migrating birds are mostly king ducks, kĭñalĭñ (Somateria
spectabilis), Pacific eiders, amau´lĭñ (S. v-nigra), and long-tailed
ducks, a´dyigi´a, a´hadlĭñ (Clangula hyemalis), with smaller numbers
of the spectacled eider, ka´waso (Arctonetta fischeri), and Steller’s
ducks, ĭgnikau´kto (Eniconetta stelleri). At the rivers they also find
numbers of pintails, i´vwûgɐ (Dafila acuta), which visit the coast in
small numbers during the migrations. Geese of three species, the
American white-fronted goose, nû´glûgruɐ (Anser albifrons gambeli),
the lesser snow-goose, kû´ño (Chen hyperborea), and the black brant,
nûglû´gnɐ (Branta nigricans), are not uncommon on the coast both
during the migrations and the breeding season, but the natives find
them in much greater abundance at the rivers, where they also find a
species of swan, ku´gru, probably Olor columbianus, which rarely
visits the coast.
Next in importance to the natives are the gulls, of which the Point
Barrow gull, nau´yɐ (Larus barrovianus), is the most abundant all
through the season, though the rare rosy gull, kă´ñmaxlu (Rhodostethes
rosea), appears in multitudes late in the autumn. The ivory gull
(Gavia alba), nariyalbwûñ, and Sabine’s gull, yûkû´drĭgûgi´ɐ (Xema
Sabinii), are uncommon, while the Arctic tern, utyuta´kĭn (Sterna
paradisea), is rather abundant, especially about the sandspits of
Nuwŭk. All these species, particularly the larger ones, are taken for
food.
Three species of loons are common: the great white-billed loon,
tu´dlĭñ (Urinator adamsi), and the Pacific and red-throated divers
(U. pacificus and lumme), which are not distinguished from each other
but are both called kă´ksau. They also occasionally see the
thick-billed guillemot a´kpa (Uria lomvia arra), and more often the
sea-pigeon, sêkbwɐk (Cephus mandtii). The three species of jaegers
(Stercorarius pomarinus, parasiticus, and longicaudus) are not
distinguished from one another but are all called isuñɐ. They pay but
little attention to the numerous species of wading birds which appear
in considerable abundance in the migrations and breeding season, but
they recognize among them the turnstone, tûlĭ´gwa (Arenaria
interpres), the gray plover, ki´raio´n (Charadrius squatarola), the
American golden plover, tu´dlĭñ (C. dominicus), the knot, tu´awi´a
(Tringa canutus), the pectoral and Baird’s sandpipers, (T. maculata
and bairdii), both called ai´bwûkiɐ, the red-backed sandpiper mêkapĭñ
(T. alpina pacifica), the semipalmated sandpiper, nĭwĭlĭwĭ´lûk
(Ereunetes pusillus), the buff-breasted sandpiper, nu´dluayu
(Tryngites subruficollis), the red phalarope, sabrañ (Chrymophilus
fulicarius), and the northern phalarope, sabrañnɐ; (Phalaropus
lobatus). The last is rare at Point Barrow, but they see many of them
near the Colville. The little brown crane, tutĭ´drĭgɐ (Grus
canadensis), is also rare at the Point, but they say they find many of
them at the mouth of Kulu´grua.
Of land birds, the most familiar are the little snow bunting, amauligɐ
(Plectrophenax nivalis), the first bird to arrive in the spring, the
Lapland longspur, nĕssau´dligɐ (Calcarius lapponicus), and two species
of grouse, the willow grouse (Lagopus lagopus) and the rock ptarmigan
(L. rupestris), which are both called akû´dĭgĭn. These two birds do
not migrate, but are to be seen all winter, as is also the well known
snowy owl, u´kpĭk (Nyctea nyctea). A gerfalcon, kĭ´drĭgûmĭñ (Falco
rusticolus), is also sometimes seen, and skins and feathers of the
golden eagle, tĭ´ñmiɐkpûk, “the great bird” (Aquila chrysætos), are
brought from the east for charms and ornaments. The raven, tulúɐ
(Corvus corax sinuatus), was not seen at Point Barrow, but the natives
are familiar with it and have many of its skins for amulets. Several
species of small land birds also occur in small numbers, but the
natives are not familiar with them and call them all “sû´ksaxíɐ.” This
name appears to mean “wanderer” or “flutterer,” and probably belongs,
I believe, to the different species of redpolls (Aegiothus).
_Fishes._--A few species only of fish are found in the salt water. Of
these the most abundant are the little polar cod (Boreogadus saida),
which is plentiful through the greater part of the year, and is often
an important source of food, and the capelin, añmû´grûñ (Mallotus
villosus), which is found in large schools close to the beach in the
middle of summer. There are also caught sometimes two species of
sculpins, kû´naio (Cottus quadricornis and decastrensis), and two
species of Lycodes, kúgraunɐ (L. turnerii and coccineus). In the gill
nets at Elson Bay they also catch two species of salmon (Onchorhynchus
gorbuscha and nerka) and a whitefish (Coregonus laurettæ) in small
numbers, and occasionally a large trout (Salvelinus malma). The
last-named fish they find sometimes in great numbers, near the mouth
of the Colville.
The greatest quantities of fish are taken in the rivers, especially
Kuaru and Kulugrua, by fishing through the ice in the winter. They say
there are no fish taken in Ikpikpûñ, and account for this by
explaining that the former two rivers freeze down to the bottom on the
shallow bars inclosing deep pools in which the fish are held, while in
the latter the ice never touches the bottom, so that the fish are free
to run down to the sea. The species caught are the small Coregonus
laurettæ, two large whitefish (C. kennicottii and nelsoni), and the
burbot, tita´liñ (Lota maculosa). They speak of a fish, sulukpau´ga
(which appears to mean “wing-fin” and is applied in Greenland to a
species of Sebastes), that is caught with the hook in Kulugrua
apparently only in summer, and seems from the description to be Back’s
grayling (Thymallus signifer). In the river Ku is caught a smelt,
ĭthoa´nĭñ (Osmerus dentex). In the great lake, Tă´syûkpûñ (see above,
p. 29), they tell of an enormous fish “as big as a kaiak.” They gave
it no name, but describe it as having a red belly and white flesh. One
man said he had seen one 18 feet long, but another was more moderate,
giving about 3 feet as the length of the longest he had seen.
_Insects and other invertebrates._--Of insects, they recognize the
troublesome mosquito, kiktorɐ (Culex spp.), flies, bumblebees, and
gadflies (Œestrus tarandi), both of which they seem much afraid of,
and call i´gutyai, and the universal louse, ku´mɐk. All the large
winged insects, including the rare butterflies and moths and crane
flies, are called tûkĭlû´kica, or tûkilûkĭdja´ksûn, which is also the
name of the yellow poppy (Papaver nudicaule). We were told that “by
and by” the poppies would turn into “little birds” and fly away, which
led us to suppose that there was some yellow butterfly which we should
find abundant in the later summer, but we saw none either season.
A small spider is sometimes found in the Eskimo houses, and is called
pidrairu´rɐ, “the little braider.” They pay but little attention to
other invertebrates, but are familiar with worms, kupidro, a species
of crab, kinau´rɐ, (Hyas latifrons), and the little branchipus,
iritu´ña (Greenlandic issitôrak, “the little one with big eyes”), of
the fresh water-pools. Cockles (Buccinum, etc.) are called siu´tigo
(Gr. siuterok, from siut, ear), and clams have a name which we failed
to obtain. Jellyfish are called ipiaru´rɐ, “like bags.” They say the
“Kûñmudlĭñ” eat them!