282 



NOKTH AMEEICAN FAUNA. 



[NO. 27. 



1895. In the spring of 1897 Spreadborough found it common at 

 Edmonton. It was first observed April 28, was common by May 3, 

 and a nest was found May 19.^ MacFarlane, in a list recently sent 

 me, states that a nest containing three eggs was found by an Indian 

 near Fort Providence on June 1, 1885. H. Jones, by letter, re- 

 ports this teal from Hay River, Great Slave Lake, where he observed 

 three pairs in the summer of 1907. 



Spatula clypeata (Linn.). Shoveler; Spoonbill. 



The shoveler is a common species in the southern part of the region, 

 and occurs in small numbers north to the mouth of the Mackenzie. In 

 1901 we observed several individuals a few miles north of Edmonton, 

 Alberta, May 1 ; and single birds a short distance below Athabaska 

 Landing, May 6 ; below Grand Rapid, May 11 ; and at Smith Land- 

 ing, June 16. 



In 1903 we first observed this species in small numbers near Stur- 

 geon River, Alberta, May 12, and saw several among the sloughs to 

 the northward on May 13. While descending the Athabaska we noted 

 the species near Little Buffalo River, May 25, and near the Athabaska 

 delta, June 1. On their return trip up the Athabaskaj my brother and 

 Gary noted a few at Quito or Calling River, August 29. 



In 1904 I observed spoonbills but once, nothig two pairs near the 

 mouth of Peel River, July 1. 



Richardson was the first to report this species from the Mackenzie 

 region, describing a specimen taken at Fort Franklin in May, 1826.^ 

 Kennicott mentions a pair shot by Hardisty, May 18, 1860, at Fort 

 Resolution.^' Ross recorded it as being found, not commonl}^, how- 

 ever, in the Mackenzie River district north to Fort Good Hope, and 

 as having been collected at Fort Simpson.^^ Baird, Brewer, and Ridg- 

 way state that it was reported as breeding at Fort Resolution, Fort 

 Rae, Big Island, and Anderson River.^ The bird catalogue of the 

 National Museum records specimens collected at the first three of these 

 localities, as well as one (No. 60123) from Lesser Slave Lake. Mac- 

 Farlane recorded it as very rare on Anderson River, only two having 

 been shot during the several seasons he collected there.'' Russell 

 records that a male was taken at Fort Chipewyan^ May 7, 1893, when 

 the species was not uncommon, and was breeding.^ Macoun reports 

 that a few pairs Avere breeding at Lake Ste. Anne in the summer of 



« Macoun, Cat. Canadian Birds, Part I, p. 83, 1900. 



& Fauna Boreali-Americana, II, p. 439, 1831. 



c Trans. Chicago Acad. Sci., I, p. 171, 1869. 



^Nat. Hist. Eev., II (second ser.), p. 287, 1862. 



« Water Birds N. A., I, p. 530, 1884. 



f Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XIV, p. 420, 1891. 



9 Expl. in Far North, p. 257, 1898. 



