286 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. [no. 27. 



on the Athabaska above Pelican Rapid, May 7, 1901, was identified, 

 but was not preserved. 



On May 13, 1903, we saw two individuals on a small slough north 

 of Sturgeon River, Alberta, and noted the species on the Athabaska 

 at Grand Rapid, May 25, and near Poplar Point, May 30. We saw 

 several in the marshes adjoining Rocher River, June 6 to 8, and 

 on Slave River below Fort Smith, June 15 and 16. I next observed 

 the species at Fort Franklin. Great Bear Lake, September 20, when 

 I shot two from a small flock in the bay ; I saw another flock at 

 the same place, September 27. While ascending the Mackenzie, I 

 noted a few nearly every day between Fort Norman and Fort 

 Wrigley, October 2 to 11, and daily to the mouth of Nahanni River, 

 October 12 to 16. 



In the spring of 1904 I first observed this species at Fort Simpson, 

 May 24, when I shot an adult male from a mixed flock on the river. 

 I saw a few in the lakes on Manito Island, near Fort Good Hope, 

 June 23, and a pair in a small lake near Fort McPherson, July 8. 



This species has been reported from a number of localities through- 

 out the wooded portion of the region. Ross records it as abundant 

 in the Mackenzie River district north to Peel River, and as having 

 been collected at Fort Simpson. In the Anderson River region, 

 MacFarlane found it breeding in fair numbers to the very edge of 

 the wooded country east of Fort Anderson.'' Entries in the bird 

 catalogue of the National Museum, in Baird's handwriting, record 

 specimens from Fort Resolution, Big Island, Fort Simpson, Fort 

 Norman, and Fort Rae, and one from the latter locality is still in 

 the collection. Macoun records a specimen taken at Edmonton; 

 and J. Alden Loring reported shooting several at the same place in 

 September, 1894. 



Marila collaris (Donov.). Ring-necked Duck. 



This duck has not been observed north of Fort Simpson, and is 

 rather rare up to that latitude. In the season of 1901 we detected 

 it but once, near the mouth of Peace River, June 5, when we saw 

 a pair and collected the male. The birds were in a small land- 

 locked pond in dense spruce woods, in company with a pair of green- 

 winged teals, and both species were extremely tame. 



On September 3, 1903, Alfred E. Preble and Merritt Cary col- 

 lected 2 specimens on the Athabaska, a' few miles above Athabaska 

 Landing. 



The ring-necked duck was first recorded from the Mackenzie 

 River region by Ross, who states that it was rare north to Fort 



"Nat. Hist. Rev., II (second ser.), p. 287. 1862. 

 6 Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus.-, XIV, p. 421, 1892. 

 c Cat. Canadian Birds, Part I, p. 94, 1900. 



