APPENDIX G 371 



Olor columbianus (Ord). Whistling Swan. 



This beautiful species, now so much diminished in numbers, 

 was first observed on Great Slave Lake while we were paddling 

 westward along the north side of Kah-d'nouay Island on Sep- 

 tember 23 on our return trip. Here a flock, composed of two 

 adults and four birds of the year, probably a family party, flew 

 overhead to the westward. A similar flock of seven was seen 

 a few miles west of the same point on the following day. On 

 September 25, while we were traversing the delta of Slave River, 

 we started about eighty individuals, scattered in small flocks 

 from the marsh bordered channels. On the evening of October 

 3, while encamped on Slave River, near the mouth of Salt River, 

 we heard the soft notes of this species and we noted a few indi- 

 viduals in the delta of the Athabaska on October 10. 



Botaurus lentiginosus (Montagu). Bittern. 



The bittern was noted in the marshes bordering Little Buffalo 

 River above Bear Creek, July 7, and in the delta of the Slave, 

 near Fort Resolution, on July 16. 



Grus americana (Linn.). Whooping Crane. 



We first noted this rapidly disappearing species on the lower 

 Athabaska on October 11, hearing its loud trumpet call in the 

 early morning and later being favoured by a fleeting glimpse of a 

 pair of the birds themselves. We also observed five below Fort 

 McMurray on October 16. 



Grus canadensis (Linn.). Little Brown Crane. 



The brown crane is fairly common in suitable places through- 

 out the region. We first noted the species on May 26, near 

 Brul6 Rapid, Athabaska River. On little Buffalo River and 

 its tributary, the Nyarling, we saw a few on July 7 and 8, and 

 on July 10, near the head of the latter stream, we observed a 

 pair with their two young ones not yet able to fly. We noted 

 this species also on the marsh bordering Great Slave Lake, near 



