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Show PTARINICANS DIE N OF ANEPIDEMIC NOME, Alaska, Feb. 18. (By mail.) Ptarmigans, which for years abounded abound-ed In far northwestern Alaska, havo suddenly become decreased In numbers, num-bers, and, In somo localities havo dls-appeared dls-appeared entirely, according to a letter received hero from W. B. Van Valin, who is conducting investigations at Point Barrow, Alaska, for tho University Univer-sity of Pennsylvania museum. Mr. Van Valin questioned tho native Eskimos regarding the dlsappcaranco of tho birds. "I asked 'Long John' about tho ptarmigan," tho letter snld. "Pie replied there used to bo many but now very few and added that last year pooplo reported largo numbors of tho birds were found doad in the snow in tho interior. To my inquiry as to what killed them he said, Maybo him nose,' indicating thoy smclled something that killed them. It Is, or rather, seems quite plausible that It was an epidemic of some sort that greatly reduced their numbers." on |