308 THEOUGH THE MACKENZIE BASIN 



almost immediately after the young are hatched, and take 

 ito the water with them. 



Mr. Ross became acquainted with the pintail eggs in 

 1861. 



The Museum specimens at Ottawa consist of four skins 

 ^nd one fine set of eleven eggs, taken at Twelve-mile Lake, 

 Saskatchewan, and others taken at Hush Lake by Mr. Eaine. 



144. Wood DtrcK — Aix sponsa (Limi.) . 



On the 15th of May, 1885, Mr. Eeid, of Fort Providence, 

 found a, nest of this duck in a hole in a dry spruce tree. It 

 ■was composed of hay and feathers and contained two freshly- 

 deposited eggs. The female parent was shot, but afterwards 

 lost. Mr Dalgleish received and apparently identified the 

 eggs. Early in June, 1890, Mrs. King obtained a specimen 

 T)ird at Moose Lake, and about the same time a nest holding 

 but one egg was found near Cumberland House, and it was 

 forwarded to Washington. I do not remember having ever 

 observed a " tree duck " at Eorts Chipewyan or Good Hope, 

 the Anderson River, or in New Caledonia, B. C. A full 

 set of eggs ranges between six and twelve, and are something 

 between a buff and a pale green in colour. The Ottawa 

 Museum has not a single egg, and but three skins of this 

 species, in its Dominion collection! 



146. Red-head — Aythya americana (Eyt). 



This species is fairly abundant and doubtless breeds in 

 Cumberland District, although we failed to secure any of its 

 eggs. A male example was, however, shot at the Pas, lower 

 Saskatchewan River, in the beginning of June, 1890. It 

 is a rare bird in the Northern Territories of Canada. Chief 

 "Trader B. R. Ross saw a few at Port Resolution, Great Slave 

 TLake, where he also secured a nest with its eggs. 



Mr. Raine observes : " It is a remarkable fact that the 

 ^ed-head and the canvas-back often lay their eggs in one 



