338 



NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. 



[NO. 27. 



lake 12 miles to the northeastward, we found it abundant in the 

 spruce woods May 25 to 30, and took several specimens. The crop 

 of one killed May 29 w^as filled with berries of Arctostaphylos uva- 

 ursi. We next met with the species 25 miles below Peace River June 

 12. At Fort Smith females with young a few days old were seen 

 June 24 and 25. At Fort Resolution my brother noted it July 20 and 

 22. While we were ascending the Athabaska we saw one at Big 

 Cascade Rapid August 13, and a brood at Grand Rapid August 22. 



In 1903 we did not observe the spruce partridge until June 22, when 

 several were seen at Fort Resolution. The stomach of one contained, 

 besides a small quantity of gravel, only spruce leaves. My brother 

 and Gary noted the species at Fort Providence July 6, and on the 

 mountain near the mouth of Nahanni River July 13, taking one on 

 the latter date. While crossing Great Slave Lake I took a female, 

 with young just read}^ to fly, on one of the islands of the Simpson 

 Group, July 20. Its crop contained leaves of fern {Crypto gramma 

 acrosticlioides) and berries of a blueberry (Vaccinium uliginosum)^ 

 and of the mountain cranberry (Vitisidcea vitisidcea). Other fe- 

 males, also with young, were noted near Gros Cape on July 23 and 

 24. During my trip northw^ard from Fort Rae I noted the species on 

 Lake St. Croix, August 11, and on Lake Hardisty, August 18, noting 

 a single bird on each occasion. One was observed near our camp east 

 of Leith Point on September 5. At Fort Franklin I took a male, 

 the only one seen there, September 22. It had just risen from the 

 margin of a small inlet, and its crop contained several moUusks 

 {Lymnwa palustris) ^ which it had just picked up. I saw several 

 birds in the possession of a hunter encamped near the rapid on Bear 

 River, where the species was reported common, on September 29, 

 While ascending the Mackenzie the species was observed above Na- 

 hanni River, October 15, and a short distance below Fort Simpson, 

 October 19 and 20. The crops of three shot near Nahanni River, 

 October 15, contained nothing but leaves of spruce {Picea canadensis) . 

 At Fort Simpson I occasionally observed the species during November 

 and December, usualh^ in spruce or pine woods. A pair taken on 

 October 25, and a single one on November 14, had filled their crops 

 with the leaves of Banksian pine (Pinus divaricata) 



During the first three months of 1904 this bird was seldom ob- 

 served, but several were taken early in April. Their crops contained 

 nothing but leaves of Pinus divaricata. The birds were always found 

 singly or in twos, and were very tame. As a result, by this time they 

 were practically exterminated in the vicinity of the post, and were 

 not observed during the remainder of the spring. 



Six eggs, perhaps an incomplete set, taken at Fort Simpson, May 29, 

 1905, have recently been received from J. W. Mills. He Avrites that 



^Fort Simpson and Fort Chipewyan specimens are referable to C. c. osgoodi. 



