CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. 275 
to be a ‘‘winterer”’ in the northern parts of Canada where its prey 
is said to consist chiefly of ptarmigan. The allied F. rusticolus or 
probably F’. Islandus, breeds in small numbers in the same region, 
as the Indians often spoke of a large hawk, twice observed by 
myself, which had successfully eluded all attempts to capture itself 
or its eggs. (Macfarlane.) 
354b. Black Gyrfalcon. 
Falco rusticolus obsoletus (GMEL.) STEJN. 1885. 
Abundant at Fort Chimo, Ungava. Eggs obtained 24th May. 
Very rare in winter. (Packard.) Common near Cape Chidley, 
Ungava, and inland. (A. P. Low.) Common on the river below 
Fort Chimo, Ungava, Sept. 18th, 1896. (Spreadborough.) Rare on 
the Labrador coast; one taken at Port Manversin 1901. (Bigelow.) 
Rare winter visitor in Nova Scotia. (H. F. Tufts.) A number of 
individuals of this species have been taken at Godbout, on the lower 
St. Lawrence, by Mr. Comeau and I have known two individuals to 
be taken at Quebec. (Duonne.) 
In 1896 Mr. John Burton, of Hamilton, presented me with a skin 
of this bird which he obtained at Long point, Lake Erie, in the fall 
of 1893. This is the only record of this bird occurring in Ontario. 
Mr. MclIlwraith, of Hamilton, in his work, ‘‘Birds of Ontario,” has 
no record of this bird, although at the time he wrote his book there 
was the above skin at the home of Mr. Burton in Hamilton. This 
skin is now in the possession of Mr. Fleming, of Toronto, whose 
collection is rich in rare Ontario birds. (W. Raine.) Mr. Fleming 
writes that this bird more nearly approaches F. rusticolus gyrjalco 
than F. r. obsoletus. 
Seton, in his ‘‘Birds of Manitoba,’’ doubtfully refers this bird to 
that province as a winter visitor. Later, in The Auk, Vol. X, p. 49, 
he says: ‘‘Since I wrote the ‘Birds of Manitoba,’ two fine specimens 
have been taken, and are now in the Manitoba museum.” In the 
opinion of the writer his quotations from Hearne and Hutchins refer 
to the preceding subspecies and not to this one. Criddle says this 
bird is rare at Aweme, Man. 
18!4 
