Vol '5l9 XVI ] Taverner, Birds of Red Deer River, Alta. 255 



common at Red Deer though Horsbrough gives only individual records. 

 116.* Loxia curvirostra. American Crossbill. — One specimen 

 taken at Camp 11, Little Sandhill Creek, July 21. It is a juvenile with 

 clear skull but with the red beginning to replace the yellow plumage. 

 About the face and throat is a powder deposit similar to that on a Jasper 

 Park bird that was feeding upon woolly aphides suggesting that this bird 

 was subsisting upon a similar diet. Farley regards it as common all 

 winter, and I infer regular, but " never noted after May." 



117. Leucosticte tephrocotis. Rosy Finch. — Farley says, — "I 

 have seen the Leucosticte in November around the coal mines in the Red 

 Deer valley where you go under the C. P. R. bridge. They were the 

 tamest birds I ever saw and I suppose had just blown down from the tops 

 of the mountains." He later informed me that he sent a specimen to 

 W. E. Saunders, London, Ont., who pronounced it Gray-crowned L. t. 

 tephrecotis. 



118. Acanthis linaria. Redpoll. — Both Horsbrough and Farley 

 report Redpolls in winter. The former identifies them as A. I. linaria and 

 the latter says he " cannot say that he has been sure of more than one 

 kind," he thinks, " the smaller one." 



119.* Astragalinus tristis. American Goldfinch. — Seen in limited 

 numbers all along the river. At Camp 11, Little Sandhill Creek, Young 

 reports large flocks feeding on the seeds of the wild sunflower Helianthis 

 petiolaris in early September. One specimen from Camp 1 and four from 

 Camp 11. All these birds are of a slightly deeper and richer yellow 

 than eastern ones. The difference, however, is very little and only appre- 

 ciable when numbers are massed together. I do not think that individual 

 specimens can be recognized. In size there are more large birds in the 

 western series, but the extremes in size, east and west, exhibit little, if 

 any, difference. Under such circumstances I cannot see that it is worth 

 while recognizing the Pale Goldfinch, pallidus in these specimens. Hors- 

 brough refers his specimen to "A. t. tristis. Pale Goldfinch " (sic). With 

 this conflict between scientific and vernacular terminology, it is left to sur- 

 mise which he intends. 



120.* Spinus pinus. Pine Siskin. — A small flock seen at Camp 3. 

 One at Camp 11, Little Sandhill Creek, August 15 and 22. Specimens, 

 Camp 3 and 11. Given as winter visitor by both Horsbrough and Farley. 



121.* Calcarius lapponicus. Lapland Longspur. — Seen at Camp 

 11, Little Sandhill Creek, between September 10 and 15. Specimens, 

 September, 13 and 15. Farley gives many April dates for both Red Deer 

 and Camrose. 



122.* Calcarius ornatus. Chestnut-collared Longspur. — One 

 seen, July 26 at Camp 11, Little Sandhill Creek, becoming fairly common 

 September 10 to 13 then no more until the 20th when two were noted. 

 Specimens Camp 11, July 26 and September 13. Farley reports them 

 very common in May and in autumn but does not remember them in sum- 

 mer. 



