Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 17.djvu/464

SAGE GBOUSE. 424 SAGINAW. soon as shot) as to be undesirable for the table. It also eats many insects, especially 'locusts.' It nests on the jiround and lays elongated, heavily spotted eggs. Consult Coues, Birds of the Tsorth- icest (Washington, I87-4). Compare GROUfSE. SAGE HARE. A jack-rabbit. See Hake. SAGE SPAKROW. One of the pale-colored desert sparrows of the genus Amphispiza, re- lated to the song-sparrow, and inhabiting the sage-brush district of the Western United States. SAGHALIEN, sliga-lyen', or SAKHALIN, sil'ka-lyen'. An island oil' the eastern coast of Siberia, extending from 40° to 54° 30' N. latitude, and from 141° 30' to 145° E. longitude (Map: Asia, 3). It is separated from the Mari- time Province on the -west by the Strait of Tartary, which is only about five miles wide near the mouth of the Amur : and from the Japanese island of Yezo on the south by the Strait of La Perouse, about 27 miles at its nar- rowest part. The island is of oblong shape and covers an area of over 29,000 square miles. The surface is largely mountainous, the elevations ex- tending to the very sea. The western coast for the most part presents the appearance of a steep wall, varying in height from 100 to 200 feet, and is prac- tically without indentation. The eastern coast is almost as precipitous as the western, but is more indented, and forms a number of lagoons. In the northern part of the island three separate moun- tain ranges are marked, two running along the coasts and one through the centre. They vary in altitude from 1500 to 3000 feet, and are densely wooded. In the centre there is a wide plain between the tw'O coast ranges. Another mountain range runs along the eastern coast down to Aniva Bay, and still another covers the southeastern part of the island. The rivers of Saghalien have the character of mountain streams, and are of little value as waterwiiy^ _ Tlip chief rivers are the Tym. flowing in a northern and a northeastern direction and falling into the Sea of Okhotsk after a course of abouft 150 miles; and the Paranay, which falls into the Gulf of Patience on the eastern coast. Very little is known of the geology of the island, but extensive deposits of coal have been discov- ered, and some mines are worked near Dui. on the western coast. The climate varies in different parts of the island in accordance with the prox- imity of the locality to the mainland or to the Sea of Okhotsk. Thus the northern part which lies close to the mainland has a continental cli- mate during the winter, when the narrow strait freezes over; and the eastern coast, subject to the cold currents of the Sea of Okhotsk, has a more severe climate than the western coast, which is affected principally by the Sea of Japan. In the central part the winters are very severe. Tlie precipitation is abundant and the snow occasion- ally reaches a depth of seven feet. Almost the entire surface of the island is cov- ered with forests, chiefly coniferous. In the south- ern part are found some .Japanese plants. The fauna of Saghalien does not differ essentially from that of Eastern Siberia. The rivers are well stocked with fish, and provide the natives with their staple food. Neither the climatic conditions of the island nor its soil are favorable to agricul- ture, and the area under cultivation at present is insignificant. The Russians, who are princi- pally convicts, released convicts or exiles, engage chiefly in coal mining and lumbering. The eun- victs are employed in the coal mines and furnish the labor fur the construction of roads and other improvements. The natives are engaged in fishing and hunting. Fishing on a lai-ge scale is carried on by the Japanese, who use herring for fertiliz- ing purposes. The total population of the island in 1897 was 28,113 (7(541 women), of whom 4979 (759 women) were convicts, G934 exiles and 1506 released convicts. Prisons are maintained at the chief settlements of the island. The na- tive population consists of about 2000 Gilyaks, who inhabit the northern part of the island; about 2500 Ainos (see AiNO), the aborigines of Saghalien, found principally in the soutli ; and a small number of Oroks of 'Tungus origin. There are also a number of Japanese and Chinese. The island forms a separate administrative district. The principal settlements are Alexandrovsk or Dui, the seat of the administration, Rykovskoie, Kors.akov, and Muravievski. The existence of Saghalien was first brought to the attention of Europe by the Dutch navigator Gerrit de Bries, about the middle of the seven- teenth century. The southern part of the island belonged to Japan until 1875, when it w'as ac- quired by Russia in exchange for some of the southern Kurile islands. The island became a penal colony in 1869. Consult: Fr. Schmidt, Beiseti ini Aiiiurlande und auf der Insel Sachalin (Saint Petersburg, 1868) ; Poljakow, Eeise nach dcr Insel tiachalin, 1881-82, trans. (Berlin, 1884), SAG HAR'BOR. A village in Suffolk County, X. v.. 100 miles east of New York City; on Gardiners Bay, and on the Montauk division of the Long Island Railroad ( Map ; New York, H 5). It was formerly one of the most im- portant ■(vhaling centres in America, but at pres- ent is best known as a summer resort. The leading industry of the village is the manufacture of watch cases. Population, in 1900, 1969. SAG'INA'W. Tlie county-seat of Saginaw County, ilich., and the commercial metropolis and railroad centre of northern Michigan, 100 miles northwest of Detroit; on the Saginaw River, at the head of deep-water navigation (Map: Michigan, J 5). It is on both sides of the river, which is spanned by four railroad and five public bridges. The city covers an area of about 13 square miles, and its streets are well paved, principally with asphalt and brick. Sev- eral parks add to the attractiveness of the city, of which Hoyt and Riverside are especially note- ■worthy. The Hoyt Library with 24.000 volumes, the Public Library, the Germania Institute, and the Saginaw Valley Medical College are also prominent features. A free manual training school building, the gift of Hon. W. R. Burt, dates from 1903. It cost .$200,000. Among the edifices of note are the Masonic Temple, the Court House, City Hall, Hoyt Library building. Saint Mary's Hospital, Arbiter Hall, the Ger- mania Institute, and the Post Office building. The hospitals and charitable institutions include Saint Mary's Hospital, Saginaw General Hos- pital, Woman's Hospital, Home of the Friend- less, and Saint Vincent's Orphan Home. Saginaw was long known as one of the greatest lumber manufacturing centres in the country. The disappearance of the pine forests, however.