286 



NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. 



[NO. 27. 



on the Athabaska above Pelican Rapid, May 7, 1901, was identified, 

 but was not preserved. 



On May 13, 1903, we saw two individuals on a small slough north 

 of Sturgeon River, Alberta, and noted the species on the Athabaska i 

 at Grand Rapid, May 25, and near Poplar Point, May 30. We saw J 

 several in the marshes adjoining Rocher River, June 6 to 8, and | 

 on Slave River below Fort Smith, June 15 and 16. I next observed 

 the species at Fort Franklin, Great Bear Lake, September 20, when 

 I shot two from a small flock in the bay; I saw another flock at 

 the same place, September 27. While ascending the Mackenzie, I 

 noted a few nearly every day between Fort Norman and Fort 

 Wrigley, October 2 to 11, and daily to the mouth of Nahanni River, 

 October 12 to 16. 



In the spring of 1904 I first observed this species at Fort Simpson, 

 May 24, wdien I shot an adult male from a mixed flock on the river. 

 I saw a few in the lakes on Manito Island, near Fort Good Hope, i 

 June 23, and a pair in a small lake near Fort McPherson, July 8. 



This species has been reported from a number of localities through- 

 out the wooded portion of the region. Ross records it as abundant 

 in the Mackenzie River district north to Peel River, and as having 

 been collected at Fort Simpson.* In the Anderson River region, 

 MacFarlane found it breeding in fair numbers to the very edge of 

 the Avooded country east of Fort Anderson.'^ Entries in the bird 

 catalogue of the National Museum, in Baird's handwriting, record ; 

 specimens from Fort Resolution, Big Island, Fort Simpson, Fort 

 Norman, and Fort Rae, and one from the latter locality is still in 

 the collection. Macoun records a specimen taken at Edmonton ;^ 

 and J. Alden Loring reported shooting several at the same place in 

 September, 1894. ; 



Marila collaris (Donov.). Ring-necked Duck. 



This duck has not been observed north of Fort Simpson, and is 

 rather rare up to that latitude. In the season of 1901 we detected i 

 it but once, near the mouth of Peace River, June 5, when we saw | 

 a pair and collected the male. The birds were in a small land- 

 locked pond in dense spruce woods, in company with a pair of green- 

 winged teals, and both species were extremely tame. | 



On September 3, 1903, Alfred E. Preble and Merritt Gary col- j 

 lected 2 specimens on the Athabaska, a few miles above Athabaska * 

 Landing. 



The ring-necked duck was first recorded from the Mackenzie 

 River region by Ross, who states that it was rare north to Fort 



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

 » Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XIV, p. 421, 1892. 

 ^ Cat. Canadian Birds, Part I, p. 94, 1900. 



