1908.] 



BIEDS. 



275 



Pelecanus erythrorhynchos Gmel. American White Pelican. 



In the spring of 1901 we saw about ten pairs at the mouth of 

 Pelican River. 100 miles below Athabaska Landing, May 9. The 

 birds are said to be usually found at this point and to nest among 

 the rapids which occur on the lower part of Pelican River. A large 

 number nest on the islands at Smith Rapids, and while encamped at 

 Smith Landing near the head of the rapids, we saw straggling indi- 

 viduals on June 14 and 16. At Fort Smith, near the foot of the 

 rapids, we saw the birds almost daily. June 19 to 28. After leaving 

 Fort Smith we did not again observe the species until August 3, 

 when a single young bird was seen about 15 miles below Fort Smith. 



In 1903 we saw several individuals near Fort Smith. June 14. Mer- 

 ritt Cary was informed that several pairs breed annually on a small 

 rocky islet, one of the Desmarais group, in Great Slave Lake. J. W. 

 Mills tells me that during the past few years he has seen three small 

 flocks near Fort Providence. 



The Smith Rapids colony occupy the most northern breeding sta- 

 tion of this species in Xorth America (excepting the small colony 

 on Great Slave Lake) . and haA'e evidently occupied this site from time 

 immemorial, as Alexander Mackenzie refers to the ' Pelican ' as one 

 of the portages passed in these rapids when he descended the river 

 in 1789.^ Richardson mentions the species as numerous on Isle a La 

 Cross Lake, in flocks of 10 or 50, in June, 1818.^ Ross recorded 

 it as common north to Big Island :^ and the catalogue of the birds in 

 the National ^luseum contains the record of a specimen taken there. 

 Frank Russell collected young birds and eggs at the Smith Rapids 

 breeding ground. July 3, 1893. He reported many scores of young 

 birds in different stages of development.^' J. Alclen Loring reported 

 seeing a number of these pelicans on Lake Ste. Anne, Alberta, in 

 August, 1895; he also noted several on an island in the same lake, 

 May 26, 1896. Fleming records one taken b}^ the Eskimo in Liver- 

 pool Bay in June or July, 1900.^ The bird was ucav to the natives, 

 and was probably merely a straggler. 



Mergus americanus Cass. American Merganser. 



This merganser occurs as a rather uncommon breeder north to 

 Great Slave Lake. AVhile descending the Athabaska, May 6 to IT, 

 1901. we saAv a pair or two almost daily. AYe observed the species 

 on the marshes at the mouth of the Quatre Fourches, near Fort Chip- 

 ewyan, May 24 ; and at Point La Brie. 12 miles northeast of the post, 



Voyages to Frozen and Pacific Oceans, p. 4, 1801. 

 ^Arctic Searching Expedition, I, p. 101, 1851. 

 ^Nat. Hist. Rev., II (second ser.), p. 288, 1862. 

 ^ Expl. in Far North, p. 256, 1898. 

 ^Auk, XXIII, p. 218, 1906. 



