424 BIRDS OF ARCTIC AMERICA MACFARLANE. 



about one buudred nests were secured. The nest, which was alvrays 

 a mere shallow cavity iu the ground, in every observed and reported 

 instance had more or less of a lining- of hay, feathers, and down, while 

 the maximum number of eggs in no case exceeded seven. On otli 

 July, 1804, on our return trip from Fraidclin Bay, we observed thirty 

 molting- ganders of this species on a small lake iu the Barrens. 

 Our i)arty divided, and by loud shouting and throwing stones at them 

 they were driven to land, where twenty-seven of them were run down 

 and captured. Their flesh proved excellent eating ; it is seldom, indeed, 

 that I have come across a Graj^ Wavy that was not in good condition 

 in the far Xorth. 



172. Branta canadensis (Li uu.)- Canada Goose. 



This well-known goose breeds throughout the entire wooded region 

 of the Mackenzie Basin. Nests were discovered in the vicinity of Fort 

 Anderson and to the borders of the forest on the east and west sides 

 of the river of that name, but none were met with in llie Barrens 

 proper, nor on the Arctic Coast. Several deserted hawks' nests on 

 trees were found occupied by incubaring female birds of this si)t'cies. 

 We forwarded one hundred and seventy eggs of B. canadensis to the 

 Smithsonian. 



172a. Branta canadensis hutchinsii (Sw. and Rich.). Hutcliins's Goose. 



A large .number (titty) of nests of the smaller Canada Goose was 

 found on the Lower Anderson, as well as on the shores and islands of 

 the Arctic Sea. All but one were placed on the earth, and, like that 

 of the preceding species, it was composed of hay, feathers, and down, 

 while six was the usual number of eggs. The exceptional case was a 

 female parent shot while sitting on four eggs in a deserted crow's or 

 hawk's nest built on the fork of a pine tree at a height of about 9 feet. 

 At the time, the ground in the vicinity thereof was covered with snow 

 and water, and this may have had something to do with her nesting 

 in so unusual a place. 



172b. Branta canadensis occidentalis (Haird). White-clieeked Goose. 



If no eggs were taken, it is almost certain that this large Canada 

 Goose is to be met with occasionally at least, if not annually, on the 

 Anderson, as we had methinks more than one undoubted skin or part 

 thereof brought in during our residence there. 



174. Branta nigricans (Lawrence). Black Braut. 



This goose is exceedingly abundant on the Arctic coast of Liverpool 

 Bay, but it is comparatively^ rare in Franklin Bay. Large numbers of 

 eggs were obtained by the J'^squimaux in the first mentioned, but 

 hardly any in the latter locality. We never, however, observed any 



