368 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[May 31, 1888- 



subject, notably from Mr. Geo. Burgess, who has been 

 in charge of the Hudson's Bay Company's post there for 

 seven years, and who stated that he had traveled up the 

 lake 150 miles from the post and then he could learn 

 nothing from the Indians as to the distance from that 

 point to the head of the lake except that beyond that 'it 

 was very far,' and also from Mr. William Miller, in 1885, 

 who had then been in charge of the same post for eight 

 years and who stated that he had traveled the lake 120 

 miles from the post, but could gather no information as 

 to the distance to the head. If report from the men con- 

 nected with his own expedition can be relied upon, he 

 never went to the head of the great lake at all, but with 

 the remark that he had seen enough of it for his pur- 

 pose, turned back at a certain point where it narrowed 

 into the deceptive appearance of an entering river, in 

 order to get back to the post in time to catch the 

 Hudson's Bay Company canoes going down by the 

 Eupert's River to Eupert House and thence homeward.'' 



I am prepared to admit that I see no reason why Mr. 

 Low's map should not be tolerably correct so far as it 

 goes, since all south of the lake's discharge by the Eupert 

 Eiver has been previously explored, and it would not be 

 a difficult task, even to a surveyor's apprentice, to com- 

 plete the scaling of its outline so far as represented by Mr. 

 Low. That he explored no further than the supposed 

 mouths of the apparent entering rivers represented at the 

 extreme north of his plan of the lake, is admitted by 

 those who accompanied him. 



Now either the so-called Great Mistassini is altogether 

 a myth, or this lake depicted by Mr. Low is simply one of 

 its bays, connected with it by the supposed entering river 

 — a narrow strait some three four miles or so in length. 

 Without a definite knowledge of what lies beyond the 

 northern limit of Mr. Low's map, I have no intention of 

 imitating him in either fixing or questioning an imagi- 

 nary limit for the lake. It is his dogmatic positiveness 

 about a great uncertainty, that all who have interested 

 themselves in the subject are justified in protesting 

 against. This Mistassini problem has engaged the earnest 

 attention of a number of foremost Canadians, and it may 

 be restful to some of your correspondents who have insin- 

 uated somewhat in their regard, to know that none of 

 them own building lots upon its shores or have taken 

 stock in any mammoth hotel scheme depending for suc- 

 cess upon the booming of its size and surroundings. It 

 matters not to them, individually, whether the lake be 

 100 or 800 miles is length, but they are desirous of seeing 

 the enigma solved, once for all, and are not likely to be 

 deterred from their object by anything of so unsatisfy- 

 ing a character as Mr. Low's report and accompanying 

 map. 



A Mr. Lachanel, who was for twenty-three years em- 

 ployed by the Hudson's Bay Company at Mistassini, 

 recently drew a rough sketch of the lake for a friend of 

 mine, the southerly and smaller portion of which corres- 

 ponded somewhat in shape with Mr. Low's map. Just 

 where the latter terminates at the north he drew a narrow 

 neck or straits, and then spread out therefrom the lines 

 representing the two sides of an immense body of water, 

 which stretches away, according to his story, beyond his 

 knowledge. This corroborates the pi - e vailing Indian ideas 

 on the subject. It is in keeping with the allegations of 

 Mr. Gregor Burgess and of Mr. William Miller, both well 

 qualified and reliable authorities. Against such testi- 

 mony we have that of Mr. Low. Is it surprising that we 

 are not inclined to accept his report as a final and satis- 

 factory solution of the mystery? 



I have too high an opinion of the intelligence of your 

 American readers to suppose that they can be satisfied 

 with the speculative and imaginative reports concerning 

 Mistassini which are so unsatisfying to the governmental, 

 scientific and geographical authorities of our Province. 



One word more and I will pull up. Mi - . Hallock has 

 described the supposed route to Mistassini and Mr. Low 

 has placed his seal of approval upon the directions given. 

 Mr. Hallock has never been to Mistassini, and Mr. Low 

 lost himself on the way thither. Those who ambition a 

 similar experience have the route very clearly pointed 

 out for them. But conversant as those gentlemen may 

 be with the. vast sweep of forest wilderness lying between 

 Mistassini and Lake St. John, they are playing" the part 

 of blind guides to those whom they are directing from 

 Quebec to Lake St. John. In apparent ignorance of the 

 fact that the whole journey may be made to the very 

 shores of the lake in a Pullman car in some ten to twelve 

 hours of time, Mr. Hallock describes the old-time route 

 by way of the Saguenay Eiver to Chicontimi, and thence 

 by tedious overland drives to Roberval. involving a trip 

 of two or three days. And Mr. Low approves the direc- 

 tions given by Mr. Hallock! E. T. D. Chambers. 



Quebec, May 18. 



THE AUDUBON MONUMENT. 



A MEETING of the several committees who have in 

 charge the soliciting subscriptions for the Audubon 

 Monument Fund was held Tuesday May 22, at Columbia 

 College. Eeports of progress were made, and the various 

 collections handed over to the General Treasurer, Dr. N. 

 L. Britton. Among the amounts reported were the fol- 

 lowing: 



For the Forest and Stream Sportsmen's Fund: 



Forest and Stream £25 00 



E. D. Ward 2 00 



Frank L. Pa?e 2 00 



Peter GL Lamont 2 00 



L. H. North 2 00 



Isaac McLellan 2 00 



K C. Clark 1 00 



Sportsman. 1 00 



An Admirer 1 00— $38 00 



For the Audubon Society Fund: 



Forest and Stream Publishing Company for 



the Audubon Society $25 00 



Miss Florence A. Merriam 5 00 



Mrs. E. S. Foster 1 00 



Mrs. Henry N. Dodge 1 00 



Miss Mary D. Dodge 50 



Mrs. Sophia Hemp 25 



Earle A. Brooks 25— $33 00 



Total held hy Fortest and Stream for Au- 

 dubon Monument $71 00 



The A. O. U. Committee reports subscriptions for 

 April and May to date amounting to $65, less $5.S7 for ex- 

 penses, $58.33. 



SOME AUTUMN BIRDS OF THE ST. 

 MARY'S LAKE REGION. 



BY GEO. BIRD GBINNELL. 



A FE W words may be necessary to explain tire fragmen- 

 1\. tary character of these notes. The trip on which 

 they were chiefly made extended through October and 

 the* first half of November, 1887, a season which, in this 

 region, is the beginning of winter. All the summer resi- 

 dents had departed, and only the latest migrants and the 

 winter buds remained. The excursion was in no sense a 

 collecting trip, and only the more conspicuous species 

 we&e noted. No species is positively mentioned in the list 

 which was not identified to my satisfaction. These notes 

 are of value only as indicating the ornithological possi- 

 bilities of the region, which will be seen to be great, and 

 it is with the hope of inducing some other to attempt the 

 work which I myself may not be able to undertake next 

 season that I here put them on record. 



My most cordial fhanlcs are due to Dr. J. C. Merrill, 

 U. S. A., who has made an especial study of the birds of 

 Montana, for valuable hints and assistance in the prep- 

 aration of this list. 



Colymbus auriius — Eared Grebe. — This species was 

 quite abundant on the St. Mary's Lakes, and on the little 

 prairie lakes about the heads of Milk River in October. 



Colymbus vigricollis coUforniens — Horned Grebe. — 

 Abundant with' the last, and, like it, had lost its breeding 

 dress. 



Urinator itnber — Great Northern Diver. — Several were 

 seen, and they were frecpiently heard, on the Lower St. 

 Mary's Lake. 



Sterna . — A tern which was probably 8. hirundo or 



8, fosteri, was abundant on the Lower St. Mary's Lake 

 during September and October. They were feeding on 

 the young whitefish, and were busy over the shallows 

 near the Inlet, where a considerable number were wind- 

 bound for several days. I was unable to secure a speci- 

 men for examination, and so cannot state the species. 



Larus deJaicarensi.% Ord. — Ring-billed Gull. — This spe- 

 cies was seen on several occasions on the Lower Lake 

 during the month of September, 1885, and October, 1887, 

 in company with the terns mentioned above, resorting to 

 the same sandbars to rest, and mingling with the smaller 

 birds most harmoniously. 



Pludacrocorax dilophus— Cormorant. — A single indi- 

 vidual was observed in the Upper Lake below the Nar- 

 rows, Oct. 15, 1887. 



Pelecanus erythrorhynchos— White Pelican. — But one 

 individual seen. This was at Pike Lake, a warm and 

 muddy, though deep, prairie lake, near the foot of Chief 

 Mountain. It came in from the north just before sunset 

 on the evening of Oct. 11, and passed the night on the 

 lake. 



Lopliodyies cucidlatus — Hooded Merganser. — Two were ' 

 killed on Cut Bank, near the crossing at Indian John's, 

 by Mr. J. W. Schultz, Sept. 1, 1885. 



Merganser serrator — Red-breasted Merganser.— This 

 species was abundant, with many other species of water- 

 fowl, on the Lower Lake late in October last. 



Merganser aniericanus— Goosander. — Seen once or twice 

 on the Lower Lake in October, 1887. 



Anas boschas— Mallard.— Extremely abundant through- 

 out the whole region traversed. Found feeding in open 

 water late in November, and no doubt a few remain 

 throughout the winter on mountain streams. 



Anas discors— Blue- winged Teal. — Abundant on lower 

 lake in September, but here as elsewhere one of the earli- 

 est among the migrants. 



Anas carolinensis — Green- winged Teal. — Abundant 

 everywhere in open water up to November. In August, 

 1875 I found this species breeding in considerable numbers 

 on Smith's River, Montana, the young, probably a second 

 brood, being then only a few days old. The southern- 

 most point at which I have met with this bird breed- 

 ing was on Michigan Creek, in North Park, Colorado, 

 where in 1879 I saw a female with a brood of downy 

 young. . 



Anas strepera — Gad wall. — Abundant on the shallow 

 prairie lakes on Milk River Ridge and to the north- 

 ward. Undoubtedly breeds here, as it certainly does 

 further to the eastward in Montana, and to the south in 

 Wyoming. 



Anas americana — Widgeon, — Abundant through Sep- 

 tember and October, but departing for the south before 

 the first of November. 



Spatula clypeala — Shoveller. — Very abundant, associ- 

 ated with the teal, widgeons, mallards and gadwalls on the 

 prairie lakes, and on the lower St. Mary's. Leaves for 

 the south late in October. 



Daflla acuta — Pintail. — Seen in small numbers on the 

 prairie lakes on Milk River Ridge. Not nearly so abund- 

 ant as^the other fresh- water ducks. 



Aythya americana — Redhead. — Abundant on the St. 

 Mary's Lakes in October, and according to Mr. J. W. 

 Schultz, always numerous on Duck, or Helen's Lake 

 during the fall migration. 



AytJiya vallisneria — Canvasback.— I had heard from 

 duck shooters of the occurrence of birds which they sup- 

 posed were canvasbacks or redheads in this region, but 

 had met with no one who could certainly distinguish 

 between the two species. On the lower St, Mary's Lake 

 during the bitter cold weather of October, 1887, 1 was 

 able to identify both species in considerable numbers. 



Aythya marila nearctica—Seaxvp Duck. — Abundant on 

 the lower St. Mary's Lake late in October, 1887. 



Aythya- affinis— Lesser Scaup Duck. — Abundant in Oc- 

 tober on the prairie lakes, and when these froze up, col- 

 lecting with the other fowl on the lower St. Mary's. 



Gfla ucionetta Goldeneye. — Whistlers were abundant 



on the lower St. Mary's Lake in October, and were among 

 the last of the fowl to leave for the south, but as I was 

 unable to secure a specimen for examination I cannot say 

 whether they wei-e the common goldeneye, or Barrow's, 

 or both. 



Charitonetta albeola — BufHehead. — Yery abundant on 

 the St. Mary's Lakes in October, and like the last named 

 species, remaining after most of the other fowl had de- 

 parted. Coues reports it as nesting along Milk River and 

 its tributaries, and in the summer of 1875 I found young- 

 unable to fly in Deep Creek or Smith's River, not far 

 from old Camp Baker, Montana, about latitude 47 \ 



Erismatura rubida— Ruddy Duck. — Very abundant on 

 all lakes of the St, Mary's region in October. 



Chen hyperborea — Snow Goose. — Among the many 

 thousands of white geese seen in this region during 

 October, only three specimens were identified as belong- 



ing to this species. Though sometimes feeding with the 

 Canada geese and roosting with them on the flats of the 

 lower lakes, these three buds kept by themselves most of 

 the time and fed with the ducks in the shallows where 

 the Inlet enters the lake. They made their appearance 

 October 25 and remained for three days thereafter. 



Chen rossii — Ross's Goose. — This species was first 

 seen October 1, migrating in flocks of from twenty 

 to one hundred individuals. They were not at first 

 recognized, but were taken for snow geese. During 

 the march, however, a Blood Indian, who was travel- 

 ing with us, took a long shot with a rifle at a flock 

 which were feeding on the prairie, and killed one, 

 which I saw toward evening and purchased. I myself 

 saw none at rest, but up to the last of October these 

 birds were constantly passing over the lakes and cross- 

 ing the mountains on their way south. The direction 

 of their flight was toward Flathead Lake, and it will 

 probably be found that these birds make some stop there 

 on their way south. I believe that there are but two previ- 

 ous Montana records for Ross's goose— Baird, Brewer and 

 Ridgway, 'Water Buds," I., p. 446, and Auk, III., p. 274. 

 While at Bud's ranch on the South Fork of Milk River, I 

 saw a flock of about thirty of these buds, one of which 

 had a long streamer attached to one of its legs. This was 

 much too thick for a line or rope, and. seemed to be a rag 

 or possibly a piece of twisted net, and fluttered in the bird's 

 flight six or eight feet behind it. It looked thicker than 

 the bird's neck, but did not appear to impede its flight at 

 all, though it was last but one of the flock. The cry of 

 the wavies is very musical, and heard on a still day fall- 

 ing from the sky above gives a very pleasing effect. 



We roasted the goose killed by the Indian and found it 

 fat and delicious eating. 



Branta canadensis— -Canada Goose.— Very abundant at 

 the St. Mary's Lakes all through the month of October. 

 They do not come until the last of September, and some 

 remained into November, when we took our departure. 

 No doubt h utchiusii occurs, but I recognized only the 

 larger form. 



Olor buccinator — Trumpeter Swan. — Abundant on the 

 lower lakes. The first seen about the middle of October. 

 A large proportion of those observed were evidently young 

 of the year. 



Gallinago delicata— Wilson's Snipe.— Two specimens 

 were seen in early October on the Inlet, near the head of 

 Lower Lake. 



Dendragapus obscurus richardsonii — Richardson's 

 Dusky Grouse. — Further investigation is needed to de- 

 termine the relations of richardsonii and obscurus in 

 this region. I am inclined to think that both occur here, 

 or perhaps a better way to put it is that they intergrade 

 in this region. Abundant. 



Dendragapus franklinii — Franklin's Grouse. — Common 

 in the timber throughout this region. This species, like 

 its near relative, the spruce partridge of Canada, is singu- 

 larly gentle and unsuspicious. It is the "fool hen" of 

 Montana, though in other localities in the West this 

 name is given to other grouse. When alarmed it flies 

 into the branches of a tree and appears to pay little at- 

 tention to the disturber of its rambles. No doubt it 

 could often be captured by a noose at the end of a short 

 pole, as I have seen D. canadensis taken. Its food con- 

 sists largely of the needles of the pine and spruce. 



Bonasa umbel! us umbelloides — Gray Ruffed Grouse, — 

 This seemed to be the commoner form about the St. Mary's 

 Lakes. At the same time I saw there ruffed grouse which 

 were as red as any that I have ever seen in the Easterh 

 States. Abundant in the pines and among the quaking 

 aspens down close to the lake shore. In autumn feeds 

 largely on the leaves and berries of the ''larbe." 



Lagopus leucurus— White-tailed Ptarmigan. — Common 

 high up on the mountains. They were usually seen either 

 close beneath the wall rock above timber-line, or in the 

 '•basins" scooped out of the mountain side by the action 

 of water, in which grew low junipers and stunted pines 

 and spruces. Their tracks in the snow and then feathers 

 were more often seen than the birds themselves. Usually 

 they are gentle and unsuspicious, but on one occasion wh i fe 

 I was hunting sheep, four of these birds came flying up a 

 little valley and alighted near me; they were unusually 

 wild, and flew, one by one, when I was still 30yds. distant. 

 As 1 walked toward them one of them walked up and 

 down on a flat rock, with his tail slightly elevated and 

 cackled shrilly, the note being exactly that of a domestic 

 hen when frightened, but without the final high note with 

 which that species usually terminates its note of alarm. 

 The tones in their manner of utter-anee reminded me 

 somewhat of one of the calls of the sorarail, but the notes 

 were fuller, broader and louder. When the birds flew 

 they uttered the same sharp cackle. These birds were in 

 full winter plumage November 11, and I learn that the 

 White dress is here assumed in September, the change 

 being completed by the last of that month. This, I be- 

 lievers the first record of this species in Montana, though 

 of course it has been well known that it must occur there, 



Pediocoztes pliasianellus cohmibianus — Columbian 

 Sharp-tailed Grouse. — Abundant on the plains and up at 

 the edge of the timber. 



It will be seen that no less than five species of grouse 

 are found in this region, Of the species mentioned, the 

 sharp-tail inhabits the prairie and the willowy ravines in 

 the foothills and along streams; the ruffed grouse are 

 found along timbered creeks and along the lake shore; 

 Franklin's grouse lives in the thickest timber in damp 

 cool situations, and in narrow cold valleys; the dusky 

 grouse is found, after the broods have grown up, on the 

 mountain sides, while the ptarmigan have their home 

 among the rocks and snow r s, and {in the brush-grown 

 "basins" where the white goats are found. 



Zenaidnra maeroiira — Mourning Dove. — A single indi- 

 vidual was noted at the lower end of Lower Lake, Octo- 

 ber, 30, 1887. 



Cathartes aura — Turkey Vulture. — Common over the 

 prairie in early autumn 1885. 



Circus hudsonius—NaLrsk Hawk. — Common on the prai- 

 rie in September 1885 and early October 1887. 



Archibuleo ferrugineus — Ferruginous RoughJeg. — Com- 

 mon on the prairie in 1885, and on high sandstone cliffs 

 on Milk River where it had undoubtedly bred. 



Bideo borealis cahirvs — Western Redtail. — Common 

 among foothills and on plains in September, 1885, and in 

 1887. 



Aquila chrysaetos — Golden Eagle. — Abundant about 

 the St. Mary's Lakes. 



Haliceetus leucocephalus — White-headed Eagle. — Not as 

 numerous as the preceding, but three or four full-plum 



