Observed in the McKenzie River District. 155 



nae doubtless exist in this District, which "will appear 



by degrees, as the collections increase. 



Family Colymbid^. 



(Colymbinae). 



Genus Colymhus. 



184. Colymhus torquatus, (Briinnich). — Loon. N. to Arctic Coast. Abun- 



dant. 



185. Colympus Adamsi. — Abundant on Great Slave Lake. 



tl86. Colympus arcticus var. Pacijicus, (Linn). — N. to Arctic Coast. 

 Rather rare. 

 18Y. Colymhus septentrionalis, (Linn). — Red-throated Diver. N. to Arc- 

 tic Coast. Abundant. 



(Podicipinae). 



Genus Podiceps. 



tl88. Podiceps griseigena, (Grey). — Red-necked Grebe. — to Peel's River. 



Common. 

 tl89. Podiceps cornutus, (Latham). — Horned Grebe. N. to Lapierres & 

 Co. Common. 

 190. Podiceps auritus, (Lath). — Eared Grebe. Slave Lake. Rare. 

 Genus Podilymhus. 

 tl91. Podilymhus podiceps, (Lawrence). — Slave Lake. Not common. 



(Additional.) 

 192. Numenius Hudsonicus, (Latham). — Hudsonian Curlew. Slave Lake. 



Rare. 

 The Northern range of the birds means the Northernmost Post at which 

 a specimen has been obtained. I have on hand about 300 specimens, as 

 yet unexamined, among which a few additional species will doubtless be 

 found. 



The following other collections have been made : — 

 Fish. At Fort Resolution, Big Island, Simpson and Bear Lakes, and 

 Fort Liards. 



Insects. At Resolution, Simpson, Youcon, Peel's River and Fort Good 

 Hope. 



Geological specimens. Fossils, &c., at the Clear TVater, Elk, MacKen- 

 zie, Anderson, and Rat Rivers, and Slave Lake. 

 Ethnological specimens. In the District generally. 



ARTICLE XIY .^-JSfotes on Chemical Subjects. By Prof. S. P. 

 Boll) ins. 

 Much attention has been directed within the past ten years to 

 the economical value of silica as a preservative of metals and 

 stone, and as a water-proof, and to some extent fire-proof coating 

 for wood, as well as an important ingredient in the manufacture 

 of artificial stone. Heretofore, however, it has been commonly 

 applied in the form of a solution of the soluble silicate of potash 



