362 



NOETH AMEKICAN FAUNA. 



[no. 27. 



In 1901 we saw a pair about a high bank beside the Athabaska 

 near Brule Rapid May 11, and a single bird on the Quatre Fourdies 

 marsh May 23. We next noted the species 25 miles below Fort. 

 Smith June 30, when we saw a pair and discovered their nest on the 

 brink of the river bank, at this point about 40 feet in height and 

 nearly perpendicular. The nest was merely a slight hollow beneatli 

 the drooping branches of a white spruce, and contained two young, 

 10 or 12 days old, and slightly clothed with white down. Their stom- 

 achs contained the remains of small birds, of which I could identify 

 only one species, the Louisiana tanager. The duck hawk was not 

 again noted until we were ascending the Athabaska August 17, when 

 we saw several immature birds near Boiler Rapid. We noted single 

 birds above Grand Rapid August 22, and above La Biche River 

 August 27. 



In 1903 we noted single birds on the Athabaska, 50 miles below 

 Athabaska Landing, May 17, and below Grand Rapid May 25, and 

 on Slave River, near Smith Landing, June 10. My brother and Gary 

 saw a pair about a high cliff on Mount Tha-on'-tha July 13, and an- 

 other pair near the base of the mountain on July 14 and 16. On 

 their return trip they frequent 1}^ observed duck hawks about the high 

 banks along the Athabaska during August. Near House River on 

 August 21 one swooped down at a drake mallard which was flying 

 up the river, and was seen to pursue it until a sharp bend hid the 

 birds. "While ascending Grandin River August 2 I passed through a 

 gorge where the stream was bordered by precipitous granitic cliffs. 

 On one of these I discovered a nest of this species, evidently contain- 

 ing young, and secured the male bird. I noted the species also on 

 upper Grandin River August 4, and saw a pair which had a nest on 

 a cliff a few miles south of MacTavish Bay August 22. They were 

 very solicitous when the nesting site was approached, evidently be- 

 cause the young had not yet flown. I noted a single bird still linger- 

 ing in the vicinity of a nesting site on the shore of Great Bear Lake, 

 east of Leith Point, August 28, and observed migrants at Fort Frank- 

 lin September 21 and 28. I noted the species also on Bear River 

 near Fort Norman September 30, and lastly on the Mackenzie above 

 Gravel River October 6. 



In the spring of 1904 I did not detect this species during migra- 

 tion, and noted it first a few miles below Fort Norman on June 16, 

 when I saw a male bird flying about a cliff close to the shore. At 

 Wolverene Rock I observed a nesting pair June 18. On the evening 

 of June 25, as we were paddling down the Mackenzie a few miles 

 below Fort Good Hope, I noticed a pair whose suspicious actions 

 made me certain that a nest was hidden somewhere on the face of 

 the sloping clay bank. Accordingly, we went ashore, and after a 

 short search found it. It was merely a slight hollow on the brink of 



