6 
ANAS BOSCH AS 
Alaska 
Breeding Range 
In the New World the Mallard breeds chiefly in the northern and western poitions. According to 
L. M. Turner (1886) it nests in the Aleutian Archipelago on Attu and the Semidi Islands, having been 
Aleutian observed also on Amchitka in late May, and on Unalaska during the breeding season. 
Islands Nelson (1887) also has recorded its occurrence on the latter island during the nesting 
period. The species has bred on the Fur Seal Islands (Elliott, 1882; Palmer, 1899), while on the 
mainland of Alaska its breeding range extends, on the seacoast, north as far as the 
north shore of Kotzebue Sound (Nelson, 1887). It is, apparently, a rare bird in this 
region, if we may judge from the paucity of records and J. Grinnell’s (1900) statement that it was 
scarce on the Kowak River. As to its status in Alaska as a whole, it is very diflBcult to reach a clear 
judgment, because of the conflicting statements of reliable men. L. M. Turner (1886) says it is com- 
mon in the Yukon district, and this is borne out by Bishop (1900), who adds that these birds are es- 
pecially plentiful at the mouth of the Yukon. On the other hand Turner (1886) found it more abun- 
dant on the upper than on the lower Yukon, and F. S. Ilersey (1917) also remarks that it is not a com- 
mon bird at St. Michael’s. At any rate the species is evidently more common in southern Alaska, 
from the north shore of Norton Sound, south to the mouth of the Kuskoquim (Nelson, 1887). No- 
where in this area, however, is it very common ; but at the base of the Alaska Peninsida it is said to be 
abundant (Osgood, 1904). J. Grinnell (1910) has recorded it for the Prince William Sound district, 
and Loring (1902) states that the species is common in Cook Inlet and Knik Arm. Farther to the 
southeast it is fairly common at Mole Harbor, Alexander and Beaver Lakes (J. Grinnell, 1910), the 
Chilkat River (Hartlaub, 1883), and Glacier Bay (W. S. Brooks, 1915). From the interior of Alaska it 
has been recorded from Nulato (Dali, 1873) and from the Porcupine River (U.S. Biological Survey) as 
well as from the Yukon in general (L. M. Turner, 1886; Nelson, 1887). It appears that the species 
Northwest breeds somewhat farther north in eastern Alaska, and in the extreme northwestern 
Canada paj-j of British America, for Ross (1862) records it for the MacKenzie north to the 
Arctic coast and for Fort Simpson, while MacFarlane (1908) found it on the MacKenzie and Ander- 
son Rivers. Still it must be a very rare bird north of Great Bear Lake, and is not mentioned by 
Stefansson (1913) as occurring north of Great Slave Lake. Kennicott (Baird, Brewer and Ridgw'ay, 
1884), how'ever, found it at Fort Good Hope on the lower MacKenzie, and farther west it was met 
with rather commonly on the MacMillan River (Osgood, 1904). To the eastward Seton (1911) did 
not see any at the east end of Great Slave Lake or northeast of there. In the whole central region 
bounded on the west by the MacKenzie, on the north by Great Bear Lake, on the east by the Barren 
Grounds and on the south by the Saskatchewan River, the Mallard is a regular and common breeder 
(Preble, 1908). MacFarlane (1908) has also recorded it from the Great Slave and Athabasca Lake 
regions, and states that it is very common on both sides of the Saskatchewan River. About the 
Athabasca Delta, R. M. Harper (MS.) found it a common breeding bird. 
Turning for a moment to the southw'estern parts of British America we find the species an abun- 
dant resident and breeding bird throughout British Columbia (Fannin, 1891; Kermode, '1904; 
A. Brooks, 1917). Mallards are known to have bred also on Vancouver Island (Swarth, 
1912). Eastward they are very common as breeding birds in Alberta, having been 
recorded for Edmonton (Soper, 1918), central Alberta (Stansell, 1909) and eastern 
Alberta (W. S. Brooks and Cobb, 1911), and in Saskatchewan (Spreadborough, 
fide J. and J. M. Macoun, 1909; Bent, 1907; C. B. Horsbrugh, 1915). I have al- 
ready mentioned the .statements of Preble (1908) and MacFarlane (1908) as to 
the abundance of these birds on the Saskatchewan River and northward. Further records are those 
for Quill Lake and Prince Albert Lake (Ferry, 1910, and others). Buchanan (1920) found the 
Mallard common and breeding in the lake region of central Saskatchewan and in the basin of 
the Churchill River. He met with it north even to the Cochrane Riv'er and Lake Du Brocket. In 
British 
Columbia 
Alberta 
Saskatche- 
wan 
