198 Wheeler, Spring Migration at Timber Line. LapHI 



plumage. The proper specific name of this species is surinamensis 

 (Gmehn), given in 1788, so vielanops is a synonym. The generic 

 (or subgeneric) name of Chlidonias, appHed to this species by 

 Rafinesque, based, as it is, mainly on the absence of a hind toe, 

 is of peculiar interest, as it appears to have a priority of above 2 

 months over the previously accepted name of Hydrochelidon given 

 this genus by Boie. Boie's name was published in the fifth number 

 of Oken's magazine, Isis, for the year 1822. This would make 

 May of that year the date of publication, whereas Rafinesque's 

 name appeared February 21st. Having determined that Rafines- 

 que's species was the Black Tern we can hardly avoid recognizing 

 the tenability of the generic name of which it is the undoubted 

 type, although the character of the hind toe which he mentions 

 was either a deformity or resulted from the work of the taxider- 

 mist in preparing the specimen. In other words, no known species 

 of the subfamily Sterninoe normally lacks the hind toes. 



As Rafinesque did not base his separation of this genus from 

 Sterna wholly on the absence of hind toes but upon one or two 

 other characters, including those of the bill, it would seem necessary 

 to supersede Hydrochelidon Boie by Chlidonias Rafinesque and 

 to name the Black Tern, Chlidonias nigra surinamensis (Gmelin), 

 unless it be considered that his name is identical with Chlidonia 

 Hubner, 1816. 



NOTES ON THE SPRING MIGRATION AT TIMBER LINE, 

 NORTH OF GREAT SLAVE LAKE. 



BY DAVID E. WHEELER, M. D. 



The spring of 1910 I spent with the Dog-rib Indians. During 

 April we hunted the wooded country between Fort Rae on Great 

 Slave Lake and Fort Enterprise. 



Only the foundations of Fort Enterprise are left but the place is 

 accurately located on the Canadian maps from Sir John Franklin's 

 survey. I think no white man has visited it since 1821, the date 

 of Franklin's departure. The clearing about the fort is still well 



