6 Taverner, Birds of Red Deer River, Alta. [j an . 



most of his specific determinations can be confidently received I 

 have not allowed his finer divisions to influence me. In this I am 

 not wishing to criticise the writer personally, only the current 

 system which he follows. As I may myself be called to task for 

 sins of subspecific determination I wish to state that my decisions 

 are based entirely upon the material in view and it is not the 

 intention to cast reflections upon the conclusions of others or those 

 based upon different material. I also wish to be judged by the 

 letter of my statements and not upon inferences that may be read 

 into them. Many of my conclusions are contrary to accepted 

 authority, but in explanation I herewith quote from one whose 

 authority can not be questioned and whose words though written 

 in support of a somewhat opposite standpoint interpret my 

 attitude much better than I can express it myself. The bracketed 

 interpolations are mine, — " No doubt many of the forms which 

 the author has [or has not] recognized as subspecies in the present 

 work may [or may not] appear trivial [or important] to others, 

 especially those who have not had the advantage of the material 

 upon which they are based ; but in all cases it has been the author's 

 desire to express exactly the facts as they appear to him in the 

 light of the evidence examined, without any regard whatever to 

 preconceived ideas, either his own or others', and without consid- 

 eration of the inconvenience which may result to those who are in- 

 clined to resent innovations, forgetful of the fact that knowledge 

 can not be complete until all is known." l 



The following is a schedule of the Camps which are referred to 

 in the annotations. The fractional camp numbers in the text 

 refer to occurrences en route between camps. Mileage is by the 

 river as the boat traveled. 



Camp 1. — 25 Miles below Red Deer, June 25-July 4. 



Camp 2.— 30 Miles below Red Deer, July 4-5. 



Camp 3.— 37 . 65 Miles below Red Deer, July 5-6. 



Camp 4. — 55.80 Miles below Red Deer, the Pump-house near 



Nevis, July 6-9. 

 Camp 5.— S3 . 40 Miles below Red Deer, Ross's Ranch, July 



9-11. 



1 Robert Ridgway, Birds of North and Middle America, Vol. I, 1901, pp x-xi. 



