314 



NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. 



[NO. 27. 



In the spring of 1901 we heard its voice daily in a marsh near 

 the outlet of Athabaska Lake June 2 to 1. AMiile descending Rocher 

 and Slave rivers to Smith Landing June 5 to 13, we heard the birds 

 almost every day in the swamps near the river and collected 2 spec- 

 imens in a small marsh 25 miles below the mouth of Peace River 

 June 12. AAliile crossing Smith Portage June 18 we noted its cry 

 on several occasions, and we found it common in the marsh at Fort 

 Smith June 19 to 28. We heard it also near Slave River, about 125 

 miles below Fort Smith, J uly 2 and 3. I flushed one from the grassy 

 margin of a small pond on Loon Island, Great Slave Lake, July 10, 

 and mj brother saw one at Fort Resolution July 27. 



In 1903 the characteristic notes of this bird were heard near Ed- 

 monton. Alberta. May 10, and between there and Sturgeon River 

 May 12. The species was next noted near the mouth of the Atha- 

 baska June 1 and was frequently heard in the marshes near Rocher 

 River June 6 to 8. It was several times noted at Fort Resolution 

 June 20 to 21. On June 22 I watched a male for some time at the 

 edge of a small slough in a swamp near the post. He leisurely 

 threaded his way among the sprouting grass stems, often jetting his 

 tail, which was carried slightly erected. He frequently paused in 

 his wandering to emit his two-syllabled crying note, holding his body 

 in a nearl}^ horizontal position, with the head extended forward, 

 while he repeated the cry several times. My brother and Gary saw 

 numbers in the marsh at Hay River June 28 to July 1. often hearing 

 their notes in the night. I saw one on the south shore of Great Slave 

 Lake, near the mouth of the Slave. July 18. 



In the spring of 1901 I collected a single bird in a small grassy 

 pond at Fort Simpson on May 19. 



Ross lists this bird as occurring north to Big Island, Great Slave 

 Lake, but as rare ; « Baird. Brewer, and Ridgway state that it was 

 found at Fort Resolution and Fort Rae : ^ skins from these places are 

 still in the National Museum. Macoun records eggs taken at Edmon- 

 ton, and gives instances of its breeding in other parts of Alberta.^ 

 Strachan Jones took the eggs of this species, probably in the summer 

 of 1868, at Lesser Slave Lake, and sent them to the Smithsonian In- 

 stitution. 



Coturnicops noveboracensis (Gmel.). Yellow Rail. 



^Aliile traversing the delta of Slave River on the evening of July IT, 

 I heard the characteristic notes of this species, and caught a glimpse 

 of the bird as he ran through the thick grass near the water's edge. 



a Nat. Hist. Hex.. II (second ser.), p. 286, 1862. 



^ Water Birds X. A., I, p. 871, 1884. 



^ Cat. Canadian Birds, Part I, p. 140, 1900. 



