300 



NORTH AMERTCAlSr FAUNA. 



[yo. 27. 



Simpson had noted their arrival at the latter point on May 17.^ In 

 Prince of Wales Strait, near Princess Koyal Islands, Armstrong 

 noted a flock passing to the northward on May 31, 1851 ; ^ he saw 

 large nmnbers on the northwest coast of Baring [Banks] Land Au- 

 gust 19, 1851 ; ^ and during the following ye^Y saw two individuals 

 at Merc}^ Bay, Banl^s Land, on the same date.^ Billings (apparently 

 quoting from the British 'Blue Book'), states that two large flocks 

 were seen by Mecham at the entrance of Liddon Gulf, Meh^lle Island 

 [in the summer of 1853]/ MacFarlane did not find the 'white 

 wavies ' breeding on Franklin Bay, but was assured by the Eskimo 

 that they nested on Liverpool Bay/ In notes sent to the Smith- 

 sonian he records their arrival at Fort Anderson on May 20, 1864, 

 and May 27, 1865. McConnell noted their arrival at Fort Simpson 

 May 5, 1888.^^ Seale states that in 1896 they were fairly common at 

 Herschel Island late in August, and that a number were killed by 

 natives at the mouth of the Mackenzie on August 23.'^ 



Chen hyperborea nivalis (Forst.). Greater Snow Goose. 



In the spring of 1901 we did not see snow geese until we reached 

 the delta of the Athabaska May 17, when several flocks were noted. 

 The residents of Fort Chipewyan were then shooting large numbers 

 and salting them for future tise. Flocks were seen overhead daily 

 while we were encamped at the Fort, May 18 to 24. We saw none 

 while at Point La Brie, probably being out of their line of flight ; 

 but while returning from there May 31 we saw two, presumably a 

 pair, alight on the high rocky shore of the lake near the post, and 

 secured a fine male. These were the last seen. The bird taken is 

 referable to C. h. nivalis. The wing measures 435 mm.; exposed cul- 

 men, 63. 



In the spring of 1903 we saw a small flock on the Athabaska near 

 Pelican RajDid on May 18, and found a few still lingering at the delta 

 of the Athabaska when we arrived there on June 2. One was killed 

 on Slave River, about 100 miles below Fort Smith, by a party de- 

 scending the river, about July 12. It probably had been injured dur- 

 ing migration. My brother and Gary saw a large flock flying south- 

 ward OA'er Athabaska Landing. September 19. A bird killed at 

 Willow River, near Fort Providence, about September 25, and which 

 I was able to examine in a frozen state, seemed referable to nivalis. 



^ Narrative Discoveries on Xortli Coast of America, p. 241, 1843. 



^ Narrative Discovery Northwest Passage, p. 336, 1857. 



<^Ibid., p. 891, 1857. 



<^Ibid., p. 521, 1857. 



^ Can. Nat. and Geol., II, p. 175, 1857. 



^ Proc. U. S. Nat. Mns., XIV, p. 423, 1891. 



s Ann. Eept. Can. Geol. Surv., lY (new ser.), p. 86D, 1891. 



^ Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1898, p. 138. 



