1908.] 



BIRDS. 



351 



Ectopistes migratorius (Linn.). Passenger Pigeon. 



This famous species formerly reached the Mackenzie River Valley, 

 but apparently only in small numbers. Alexander Mackenzie, dur- 

 ing his voyage of exploration to the mouth of the river in the summer 

 of 1789. mentions seeing it in the Hare Indian country — that is, in 

 the Fort Good Hope region." Hood mentions pigeons as occurring at 

 Isle a la Crosse about the last of June, 1820, during Franklin's first 

 northern journey.^ Thomas Simpson noted the occurrence of the 

 species at Fort Simpson in the summer of 1837, referring to it as 

 follows : 



The fields here looked well, but had a troublesome enemy in the passenger 

 pigeons. Except one at Salt River, we saw none of these graceful birds else- 

 where throughout our journey.^ 



Eoss recorded it as occurring in the Mackenzie River region north 

 to Fort Xorman, and as having been collected at Fort Simpson, but 

 as being uncommon.'^ I find no later records of the occurrence of 

 the species anywhere in the region. 



Cathartes aura septentrionalis (Wied). Xorthern Turkey Vulture. 



Macoun states that three individuals were seen at different times 

 at Edmonton, Alberta, during May. 1897.^ 



Circus hudsonius (Linn.). Marsh Hawk. 



This harrier is apparenth^ quite generally distributed throughout 

 the wooded region, but is not common. A few were seen almost 

 daily on the road between Edmonton and Athabaska Landing, April 

 29 to May 5, 1901. After this, single individuals were seen at the 

 mouth of the Athabaska, May 17; at Smith Landing, June 14; at 

 Fort Smith, June 20, and 50 miles below Fort Smith, June 30. On 

 our return trip one was seen near the mouth of La Biche River 

 August 27, and one at Athabaska Landing August 31. 



In the spring of 1903 we saw half a dozen migrating individuals 

 between Edmonton and Sturgeon River May 12, and four a short 

 distance north of there May 13. We next saw the species at Fort 

 Resolution June 22, and noted one bird on lower Grandin River 

 August 1. During their return trip Alfred E. Preble and Merritt 

 Gary noted the species at Grand Rapid August 20, alid near House 

 River August 22. 



In 1904 I first noted this bird at Fort Simpson on April 23, and 

 next recorded it on June 1. On June 11, while collecting in a muskeg 



" Voyages to Frozen and Pacific Oceans, p. 81, 1801. 



^ Narrative Journey to Polar Sea, p. 186, 1823. 



^ Narrative Discoveries on North Coast of America, p. 93, 1843. 



<^Nat. Hist. Rev., II (second ser.), p. 283, 1862. 



« Cat. Canadian Birds, Part II, p. 220, 1903. 



