February, 1919] 



The Ottawa Naturalist 



143 



Lake in the spring of 1880. It is a long way from 

 normal range of the species and should be authenti- 

 cated by specimens for unreserved acceptance. The 

 Wards are unacquainted with the species. 



35. BUFFLEHEAD, Charitonetta alheola. 



Said by the Wards to have been a common 

 migrant, but not known to breed. Seen on May 

 19, 1917, and a few in late April and early May 

 in 1918. 



36. harlequin duck., Hisironicus bistronicus. 

 Frank Ward tells us that in the spring of 1898 



he shot three brilliantly coloured little ducks that he 

 was unfamiliar with. At the time he thought they 

 might be Wood Ducks, but upon seeing that species 

 later realized the mistake. He identified them 

 as similar to coloured pictures of the Harlequm 

 Duck in Reed's Bird Guide. Takmg everything 

 into consideration I am inclined to accept this re- 

 cord with but few mental reservations. 

 EIDER, Sp? 



The Wards tell of a large duck of unknown 

 species, with greatly swollen bill, having been taken 

 by Mr. Samuel Martin, of Winnipeg, about 1900. 

 Plumage descriptions seem to suggest a female, either 

 Eider or Scoter. If Eiders, ever occur they must be 

 accidental stragglers and except for the above un- 

 certain record they are unknown on the lake. 



37. WHITE-WINGED SCOTER, Oidemia deglandi. 

 Seton found nest and eggs on Pelican Island on 



July 6, 1 90 1. This is the only Scoter known to the 

 Ward brothers, who say that when the lake was 

 fished many were taken in the nets. We saw small 

 flocks almost daily in the spring of 1917, and Young 

 reports occasional individuals throughout the season 

 until Aug. 10. 



38. RUDDY DUCK, Efismatura jamaicensis. 

 Reported by Seton, 1886, on the authority 



Hine to breed at S..cal Lake. Said by the Wards to 

 have bred very commonly but not often taken. It 

 has practically disappeared from the marsh since 

 the drying of the marshes. Young noted one in- 

 dividual on May 29, 1918. 



39. SNOW GOOSE, Chen hyperboreus. 



Single individuals seen on May 25 and 28, in 

 1917, a large flock on April 30, a smaller one on 

 May 25, and two individuals on Oct. 2, in 1918. 

 The residents are enthusiastic over the "Wavic" 

 shooting. I take it for granted that all are Lesser 

 Snow Geese, C. b. byperhoreus. It is locally called 

 Greater, but apparently in contrast with Ross' Goose, 

 which sems to be as well known as the "Lesser 

 Wavie". 



40. BLUE GOOSE, Cben caendescens. 



One was seen on May 29, 1917, in company 

 with a Snow Goose and watched for some time in 

 good field-glass range. The slaty black and white 

 head and neck made identification positive. Young 



noted a flock of one hundred on April 30, 1917, 

 and a few more individuals on Oct. 1 and 2. The 

 Ward brothers say that in most flocks of Snow 

 Geese a few of this coloration occur, but not many 

 are taken. 



41. ROSs' GOOSE, Cben rossi 



The Wards differentiated between the Greater 

 and Lesser Snow Geese, but upon questioning it 

 appeared that the latter were little larger than 

 Mallards. There can be little doubt but that this 

 is the species referred to. They are only occasion- 

 ally seen on the lake, but numbers have been brought 

 into Winnipeg market. 



42. WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, ^nscr albifrons. 

 May 26, 1917, one pitched on an isolated rock 



off the shore within sight of camp, from whence we 

 watched it with glasses for a considerable time. The 

 general brown colouration, white frontal patch and 

 pink bill and feet were plainly visible and there can 

 be no doubt as to the identification. The Ward 

 brothers say it is scarce within their experience and 

 know of but six individuals being taken on the 

 lake. 



43. '"^CANADA GOOSE, Branta canadensis. 

 Besides seeing the species during spring and fall 



in 1917, Young noted individuals as late as June 4 

 and as early as Aug. 10 in the following season. 

 Arnold reports finding a nest on an islard in 

 1894 and doubtless the present breeding ground is 

 not far away. Two captive birds seen were 

 evidently B. c. butcbinsi. One specimen obtained 

 en April 30, 1918, is fi. c. canadensis. The Wards 

 and others say that the two large forms of Canada 

 Goose can easily be told apart in life, having dif- 

 ferent voices and the flocks keeping more or less 

 separate. The living birds of the small form do not 

 make good decoys for the larger. They also upon 

 their own initiative tell of occasional very small 

 Canadas, scarcely larger than Mallards, and with 

 \oices like a hard cacl(-caclf-cacl(. They are very 

 scarce and there can be little doubt but that they 

 are stragglers of the Cackling Goose, B c. minima. 



44. BRANT, Branta berniola. 



Reported by Seton (Auf(, 1886, p. 329), on 

 authority of R. H. Hunter, to have been killed at 

 Shoal Lake. As Geo. Atkinson records in his 

 Rare Birds of Manitoba (Trans. No. 65, Hist, and 

 Sci. Sec. Man, 1904), a specimen in his pos- 

 session from Oak Lake, killed the spring 

 of 1889, the record is not an isolated one for the 

 province. 



45. WHISTLING SWAN, Olor columbianus. 



The Ward brothers tell us that Swans are still 

 common migrants, especially in the fall and do not 

 seem to be decreasing to any marked degree. We 

 saw none in 1917, but in 1918 Young noted thirty 

 on April 30, and six on May 6. 



