1908.] 



BIEDS. 



257 



Indian at Fond du Lac. Athabaska Lake, in the spring of 1885. and 

 -ent to J. J. Dalgieish. H. W. Jones (in letter) reports this loon on 

 the Mackenzie above Fort Simpson. May :20, 1905. 



Gavia pacifica (Lawr.). Pacific Loon." 



This species breeds commonly in the larger lakes throtighout the 

 region from Great Slave Lake northward. In 1901 we first saw it on 

 Great Slave Lake, near Gros Cape, on Jtily 15. It was common on 

 the Xorthern Arm between Yellowknife Ba}^ and Trout Rock, July 

 16. and about Trout Eock, July IT. In 1903 I first observed it on 

 Great Slave Lake, near Gros Cape, on July 23, when it was abun- 

 dant. During my trip northward to Great Bear Lake in August I 

 found it to be a common breeder in most of the lakes along the 

 route. I noted it daily along Grandin Kiver. August 1 to 3; on 

 Lake Mazenod. August G: Sarahk Lake. August T: Lake Rae, 

 Atigust 8 ; Lake St. Croix. August 9 : Lake Hardisty, August 15, and 

 at several points on the lakes between Lake Hardisty and MacTavish 

 Bay on Atigtist 2*2, 23, and 26. On Great Bear Lake I observed 

 it near Mc Vicar Bay. September 9. 



In 1904 I first observed the species at Fort McPherson early in 

 July. It was fairly common on the lakes in the vicinity and was 

 noted July 2, 3, and 11, one being obtained on July 2. 



Baird, Brewer,- and Ridgwa}^ first recorded the breeding of the 

 species in the Anderson River region, where MacFarlane found over 

 100 nests, not more than 2 eggs being found in any instance. The}^ 

 state also that specimens of -the birds were obtained from Fort Ander- 

 son, Fort Rae. Rendezvous Lake, Liverpool Bay, Franklin Bay, 

 •Barren Grounds,' and 'Arctic Coast' [east of Fort Anderson], and 

 the Gens de Large Mountains.'^ A specimen (Xo. 27899), collected 

 at Fort Anderson by MacFarlane. is still in the National Museum. 

 Seton records the species as common along the route from Fort 



'' Om id arrtird, tli«»iifj;h sever;il times reported, is of very doubtful occurrence 

 in Mackenzie, as all the specimens of loons of this type available are referable to 

 (r. pacificfi. MacFarlane records " a well-authenticated set of eggs, obtained 

 from Fort Anderson in l^Go, and whicli are now in the oJjlogical collection of 

 the U. S. National Museum." (Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XIV, p. 416, 1891.)- There 

 are, however, no sl^ins of G. arctica to bear out this identification. He states 

 also, in a manuscript list recently sent me. that a set of 2 eggs, accompanied by 

 the female parent, were brought in to Fort Chipewyan by a Chipewyan Indian 

 [probably from the eastward] early in June, 1885. These were sent to .1. J. 

 Dalgleish. There are several other records, but as they were published before 

 O. pacifica was known to be a common siJecies in the region, they probably refer 

 to it. 



'MVater Birds N. A., II, p. 457. 1884. 



44131— No. 27—08 17 



