418 THROUGH THE MACKEifZIE BASm 



616. Bank Swallow — Biparia riparia (Linn.). 



Mr. J. M. Maeoun found this species very abundant on 

 the Athabasca Kiver between Lesser Slave Lake and Fort 

 McMurray, latitude 66° 40' north. First noticed June 1st. 

 JSTot rare up the Clearwater River to Methye Portage ; a few 

 birds also seen by him on Deep River, near Isle a la Crosse. 

 Sir John Richardson observed thousands fluttering at the 

 mouths of their burrows near the outlet of the Mackenzie 

 Kiver, in latitude 68° north. At Fort Anderson we met 

 A^ith them in considerable numbers during the season of 

 nidification. They build their nests in scooped-out holes 

 in sandy or clayey banks on the Anderson River. Reported 

 as very abundant at Dawson, Yukon. Sir Edward Parry 

 is said to have seen a pair of birds at Melville Island, in 

 latitude 77° north. The species is widely distributed through- 

 out British Columbia and the North-Western Territories 

 of Canada. The eggs are pure white and are exceedingly 

 thin and very fragile. Mr. E. A. Preble observed a small 

 colony on Red River, a few miles below Winnipeg, June 

 14th, 1901, and a large one in a high clay bank on the shore 

 of Oxford Lake, near Oxford House, June 30th. Several 

 colonies were seen on Hayes River, a few miles above York 

 Factory. 



The Dominion collection at Ottawa contains four skins, 

 including one taken by Professor Maeoun in May, 1888, at 

 the Capital. Mr. Spreadborough secured the other three; 

 also three sets of eggs — one of five obtained at Black Rapids, 

 Ontario, June, 1894, by Mr. Otto Klotz ; one of four taken 

 near Toronto and received from Mr. W. Raine, and a set of 

 five taken in Alberta, July 15th, 1900, by Mr. W. Spread- 

 borough. 



618. BoHEMiAif Waxwing — Ampelis garrulus Linn. 



As late as 1874, " the only instances on record of the dis- 

 covery of the eggs of this interesting bird in America were 

 those of a nest and one egg taken by the late Mr. R. Ken- 



