1908.] BIRDS. 381 



mens were taken June 7, 8, and 10. The species was next noted at 

 Smith Portage June IS; several were seen and one was taken at Fort 

 Smith June 20. 



In 1903 we noted it on the lower Athahaska May 31 and June 1. 

 My brother and Gary saw it at Fort Providence July 7. and at Fort 

 McMurray August 11. While ascending the Mackenzie I saw one 

 a short distance below Xahanni River October 13. At Fort Simp- 

 son I took single birds November 24 and December 3. 



In the spring of 1904 I did not detect this bird, but H. W. Jones 

 took one at Willow River, near Fort Providence. May 7. 



Under the name Picus pubescens, Ross recorded it as being not 

 rare in the Mackenzie River region north to Fort Liard, and as win- 

 tering. A specimen in the National Museum, taken at Fort Resolu- 

 tion October 1, 1802, by J. Lockhart, has been referred by Oberhol^er 

 to this form, 6 and the catalogue of the birds in that collection records 

 another specimen from Fort Liard. Macoun states that J. M. Macoun 

 noted a few along the Athabaska, and reported it rare between Methye 

 Lake and Isle a la Crosse, in the summer of 1888. c 



In the summer of 1896, while on his way to Jasper House, J. Alden 

 Loring reported seeing several in the valleys of the foothills about 

 80 miles east of the Rocky Mountains. 



Picoides arcticus (Swains.). Arctic Three-toed Woodpecker. 



The black-backed three-toed woodpecker is of regular occurrence 

 in the region north at least to about latitude 63° on the Mackenzie, 

 but is the less common of the two species of Picoides. 



During the season of 1901 it was noted but once — a male being taken 

 on the Athabaska about 25 miles below Athabaska Landing, Au- 

 gust 28. 



In 1903 Alfred E. Preble and Merritt Gary saw one about 20 miles 

 above Fort Wrigley July 19. On their outward trip they observed 

 one at House River August 22. and collected a pair on an island 

 above Athabaska Landing September 14. During the same season I 

 saw the species but once, taking a male at Fort Simpson October 2-1. 



In 1904 I observed single birds at Fort Simpson on March 8, 22, 

 and 28, taking specimens on the last two dates. While descending 

 the Mackenzie I saw one near Fort Wrigley June 7, and on my return 

 trip observed one in a i>ine forest near Lily Lake, Alberta. Sep- 

 tember '■'>. 



Two specimens, taken at Fort Simpson by J. W. Mills on October 

 15, 1904, and March 12, 1905, respectively, have been received by the 

 Biological Survey. 



*Nat. Hist. Key., II (second ser.), p. J77. 1862. 

 6 Proe. U. S. Nat. Mus., XVIII, p. 549, L896. 

 c Cat. Canadian Birds, Part II, p. :j<M, 1903. 



