318 NOKTH AMERICAN FAUNA. [no. 27. 



June 12. A pair seen at a marsh on Smith Portage June 18 evi- 

 dently had a nest near by, and males were heard at Fort Smith 

 June 21, and about a marsh 125 miles below Fort Smith July 2 and 

 3. On our return trip a single bird was seen at Athabaska Landing 

 August 30. 



In 1903 we observed this snipe in numbers at Edmonton on May 

 9 and 10, and found it abundant along the route to Athabaska Land- 

 ing May 11 to 15. On May 13, in a marsh about 50 miles north of 

 Edmonton, I saw one alight on the summit of a tall dead spruce, 

 Avhere it remained fully five minutes, uttering continuously a loud, 

 querulous cry. Several were seen or heard on the lower Athabaska 

 June 1, and it was frequently noted on Rocher River June 6 to 8. 

 AVhile we were descending Slave River, between Fort Smith and 

 Fort Resolution, June 15 to 19, numbers were heard nearly every 

 day. It was also frequently heard at Fort Resolution during the 

 latter part of June. My brother and Cary noted two pairs, evidently 

 nesting, at Hay River, June 28 to July 1, and a pair at Fort Provi- 

 dence July 6. On their return trip, on the evening of August 2, 

 they saw several at Smith Landing flying about at dusk, and noted 

 two at Pelican Rapid August 24. After the division of the party I 

 frequently noted the bird at Fort Resolution during the remainder 

 of June and the first half of July, hearing the flight song on July 15 

 for the last time. I saw one in a marshy spot on Grandin River 

 August 3. 



In the spring of 1904 the arrival of this species was noted on May 2 

 at Willow River, near Fort Providence, by Messrs. Mills and Jones, 

 and a specimen was collected there on May 13. At Fort Simpson 

 I first noted it May 10, when I heard the flight song of several indi- 

 viduals. I again noted the bird May 11 and took a female May 12. 

 During the remainder of the month I frequently saw or heard the 

 bird at Fort Simpson, and while descending the Mackenzie heard 

 its notes about a large marsh a few miles above Wolverene Rock, 100 

 miles below Fort Norman, June 18. 



While collecting at Edmonton in 1894 J. Alden Loring saw a pair 

 September 10. In the early autumn of 1895 he reported seeing sev- 

 eral about some small lakes near Jasper House. In 1890 he noted 

 one 15 miles south of Henry House July 5, and one on Fishing Lake, 

 90 miles north of Jasper House, September 13. Ross recorded speci- 

 mens collected at Big Island and Fort Simpson, and the bird cata- 

 logue of the National Museum records skins from Fort Resolution, 

 Fort Rae, Peel River, La Pierre House, and Fort Halkett. Baird, 

 Brewer, and Ridgway state that MacFarlane found it breeding at 

 Fort Anderson June 16 and 29 ; b MacFarlane states that it was not 



a Can. Nat. and Geol., VI. p. 443, 1861. 

 6 Water Birds N. A., I, p. 192, 1884. 



