BIRD-LIFE ON THE PELLY RIVER. 157 



buzzards and ravens, and a few mergansers and 

 maUards. SmaU sandpipers — the spotted sand- 

 piper (Actitis viacularia) — were very common, 

 running and flying along the water's edge just 

 ahead of the steamer, and I also saw one hand- 

 some kingfisher (Ceryle alcyon), but, speaking 

 generally, the scarcity of bird life was very 

 marked. 



After leaving the Pelly River we steamed 

 slowly up the Macmillan for five days. We 

 foimd the stream as a rule fairly rapid and the 

 course of the river excessively tortuous, but 

 our greatest difiiculty was the shallowness of 

 the water, which caused us a great deal of 

 vexatious delay, as we were continually sticking 

 fast, and often had a great deal of difiiculty in 

 finding a channel deep enough to float the 

 steamer. 



On August 31st we resolved to leave the 

 " Emma Nott," and proceed in our canoes. 

 Since leaving Dawson we had been favoured 

 with beautifully fine weather, but as soon as we 

 left the steamer heavy rain set in, and we were 

 obliged to camp. As the weather showed no 



