1908.] BIRDS. 841 



mouth of Peace River, where two males were taken. At this place 

 we pitched our camp within 5 yards of the stand of an old drummer. 

 Soon after sunset he came to drum, but not relishing the proximity 

 of our camp, walked away after clucking a protest. lie was so loath 

 to forsake his accustomed stand, however, that next evening, after all 

 was quiet, he again visited the place, and this time ventured to drum 

 several times, and he came back on the third evening also. The drum- 

 ming of one Avas heard 25 miles below the Peace June 12, and females 

 with young were seen at Smith Landing June 15, and at Fort Smith 

 June 28. The species was next noted near Fort Resolution, where 

 one was heard drumming July 3. We saw broods of well-grown 

 young on the Athabaska near Big Mouth Brook, 65 miles below Atha- 

 baska Landing, August 25; and near La Biche River August 27. 

 Several individuals were seen on the road 40 miles north of Edmon- 

 ton September 3. 



In 1903 we noted the ruffed grouse on several occasions between Ed- 

 monton and Athabaska Landing May 11 to 15, and between Atha- 

 baska Landing and Pelican Rapid May 17 to 18. Its drumming was 

 heard near Stony Rapid May 2C>, and a number of individuals were 

 seen or heard on the lower Athabaska on May 29 and 31 and June 1. 

 The crops of two taken June 1 contained only the catkins and young 

 leaves of willows. We found the species common on Rocher River, 

 where, on June 6, we took one whose crop contained willow catkins 

 and fertile heads of Equisetum. We noted it also on Slave River, 

 below Fort Smith, June 15 to 17, usually detecting it by its drumming. 

 My brother and Cary noted females with fledged young at Fort 

 Providence on July G and 8. On their return trip they noted one at 

 Swift Current Rapid late in August, and found it common between 

 Athabaska Landing and Lily Lake September 21 to 24. 



During the same season I did not observe the species during my 

 journey between Great Slave and Great Bear lakes, and on my fall 

 trip up the Mackenzie first saw it near Roche Trempe-l'eau October 9. 

 During October, November, and December I occasionally observed it 

 at Fort Simpson, and collected a few specimens. The crop of one 

 shot November 7 contained rose hips, buds of Salix and Lepargyrcea, 

 and seeds of a species of grass. Though the birds usually were soli- 

 tary, three were seen together on December 5. The pectinations on 

 the toes were fully developed, nearly 5 millimeters in length, early in 

 November. 



In 1904 I occasionally noted the species at Fori Simpson during 

 the latter part of the winter and during the spring, and took several 

 specimens. A fine male shot April 14 has -_>0 rectrices. Drumming 

 was first heard on April 26. By the latter part of April nearly all 

 the pectinations had been shed. I examined the crops of several and 



