1908.] BIRDS. 285 



which was shot at Willow River, near Fort Providence, late in Sep- 

 tember, 1903. The species is stated to be of regular occurrence there 

 and to be rather common in autumn. 



Ross first recorded the canvasback from the region, giving it as 

 common north to Great Slave Lake;" Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway 

 state that it was found breeding at Fort Resolution, Fort Simpson, 

 Fort Rae, and on Anderson River;'' and the bird catalogue of the 

 National Museum shows that specimens were received also from Big 

 Island. Great Slave Lake. MacFarlane found a few nests in the 

 vicinity of Fort Anderson; and specimens of the bird and its eggs 

 were taken at Lesser Slave Lake by Strachan Jones in 1868. Macoun 

 states that he had seen it in immense numbers on Lesser Slave Lake 

 and in the Peace River country: and that Spreadborough found it 

 common and breeding near Edmonton in the summer of 1898.'* 



Marila marila (Linn.). Scaup Duck. 



The large ' bluebill ' occurs commonly north at least to the region 

 of the upper Mackenzie. 



In the summer of 1901 several scaups were seen on the marshes at 

 the mouth of the Quatre Fourches, near Fort Chipewyan, May 24, 

 and on Athabaska Lake near the same place, May 31. While detained 

 by wind on Loon Island, Great Slave Lake, 50 miles north of Fort 

 Resolution, July 11 to 14, I observed a few daily and took a pair on 

 July 11. The crop of one of them contained nearly a handful of 

 small mollusks (Lymnrva). On July 26, 1903, I observed a female, 

 accompanied by young, among the islands between Trout. Rock and 

 Fort Rae. 



In the spring of 1904 I did not detect this species at Fort Simpson 

 until May 24, when I shot an adult male from a small flock composed 

 of this species and M. afflnis. 



This bird was apparently first recorded from this region by Ross, 

 who gave it as occurring north to Fort Resolution:' Baird, Brewer, 

 and Ridgway state that it was found breeding at Big Island and 

 Fort Rae:^ Macoun states that Spreadborough found it breeding in 

 small lakes between Edmonton and Lake Ste. Anne in June, 1898.* 7 



Marila affinis (Eyton). Lesser Scaup Duck. 



The little bluebill abounds in suitable places throughout the region 

 north to the tree limit. An adult male, shot by one of the canoemen 



" Xat. Hist. Rev., II (second ser.), p. 287, L862. 



& Water Birds x. a.. II, p. 35, ism. 



'Tree. I'. S. Xat. Mus.. XIV, p. 421, 1891. 



''Cut. Canadian Birds, Part I. p. 89, l!>00. 



'Nat. Hist. Rev., II (second ser.), p. I'sT. lsr,i>. 



/"Water Birds X. A.. II. p. 19, L884. 



9 Cat. Canadian Birds, Part I, p. 91, 1900. 



