284 



NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. 



[NO. 27. 



from that date. While descending the Mackenzie I saw several near 

 the mouth of Gravel River, Jmie 9 and 10. 



Richardson reported this species from Fort Confidence, Great Bear 

 Lake, where Doctor Rae observed it May 22, 184:9 ; « Ross recorded 

 it as common in the ^Mackenzie River district north to La Pierre 

 House, and as having been collected at Fort Simpson.^ Baird, 

 Brewer, and Ridgway state that it was reported from Fort Resolu- 

 tion, Fort Anderson, the lower Anderson River, and Rendezvous 

 Lake ; ^ and the bird catalogues of the National Museum show that 

 specimens were received also from Fort Rae, Big Island, Fort Simp- 

 son, and La Pierre House. MacFarlane states that this is one of 

 the most numerous of the clucks that breed in the Anderson River 

 country, and one of the earliest to arrive.^ Russell records speci- 

 mens collected May 18 and June 3, 1893, at Fort Chipewyan, where 

 the species was breeding commonly.^ 



Aix sponsa (Linn.). Wood Duck. 



This beautiful duck is apparently a rare summer resident in the 

 southern part of the region, north to the Peace River Yalley. A duck 

 whose description applies unquestionably to this species was exam- 

 ined by Reverend Mr. Warwick of Fort Chipew3^an, in the summer of 

 1901:. It had been killed in the vicinity. John Gullion, captain of 

 the steamer Grahamc, who seemed familiar with the species, informed 

 me that he occasionally saw it on the lower part of Peace River. 



Marila americana (Ej^ton). Redliead. 



Macoun records a specimen taken at Edmonton, Alberta, where 

 Spreadborough found the species rare and late in arriving.^ It is a 

 bird of the prairie sloughs, and apparently does not regularly range 

 to the northward of their limits. 



Marila vallisneria (Wils.). Canvasback. 



This northwesterly ranging species occurs rather commonly in 

 certain marshy districts in the Mackenzie Valley, but has rarely 

 been detected to the eastward of that stream. In the north, Tvhere 

 its food is doubtless similar to that of most of the other species of 

 the genus, its flesh is not distinguishable in flavor. Among a bunch 

 of ducks which I saw in the possession of an Indian at Fort Chij^e- 

 wyan. August 8, 1901, and which were killed in the near-by marshes, 

 was a female of this species. On my next trip I obtained a specimen 



« Arctic Searcliing Expedition, II, p. 105, 1851. 

 »Nat. Hist. Rev., II (second ser.), p. 287, 1862. 

 c Water Birds X. A., I, p. 513, 1884. 

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



Expl. in Far Xortli. p. 257, 1898. 

 f Cat. Canadian Birds, Part I, p. 89, 1900. 



