1908.] 



BIEDS. 



363 



a steep portion of the bank beneath a small white spruce, the fallen 

 needles of which covered the ground and lined the nest. The female 

 and the three eggs, which were about half incubated, were collected. 

 AAliile ascending the Mackenzie by steamer between the lower Ram- 

 parts and Sans Sault Eapid July IT to 19, I observed several pairs 

 along the high banks. Their loud cries and suspicious actions indi- 

 cated that they had young broods. While ascending the Athabaska 

 I noted the species near Boiler Rapid August 18. 



MacFarlane found this species breeding in the country to the south- 

 ward of Fort Anderson, and thinks it does not breed much north of 

 that post." Eggs taken by him on Lockhart River June 5, 1866, are 

 recorded by Bendire.^' Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway describe a 

 specimen from Fort Resolution, and mention others from La Pierre 

 House, Peel River, Fort Anderson, and Fort Good Hope.^ Russell 

 took a female at Herschel Island August 16, 1894.^ Macoun records 

 a specimen taken by Spreadborough at Edmonton, Alberta, May 15, 

 1897.'^ AValker records specimens taken at Port Kennedy in 1859.^ 



Falco columbarius Linn. Pigeon Hawk. 



In 1901 we first noted this bird at Smith Landing, where we took 

 a male June 15. I did not see the species again until July 15, when I 

 landed on the north shore of Great Slave Lake, near the Northern 

 Arm, where I saw a pair and found their nest, apparently a deserted 

 crow's nest, Avhich Avas in a white spruce 20 feet from the ground. It 

 held five half-grown 3'oung, two of which Avere preserA^ed. Their 

 stomachs contained the remains of an unidentified species of sparroAv. 

 I saw another pigeon haAvk, AAhicli CAddently had a nest near by, on a 

 AA'ooded island 60 miles south of Fort Rae July 16, and shot a male 

 at Trout Rock on the evening of the same day. A nest found here 

 July 18 AA'as similar in construction to the first one discovered, and 

 contained foui" young, one of Avhich Avas collected. On our return 

 trip Ave >aw s'nigle Ijirds at Big Cascade Rapid, 16 miles above Fort 

 McMurray, August 14 ; near La Biche River August 27 ; and 50 miles 

 north of Edmonton September 2. 



In VM^j Ave did not note the pigeon haAvk until July 1, AA^hen Ave 

 saAv one at Fort Resolution. While ascending the Athabaska in the 

 fall my brother and Gary saAv several near Pelican Rapid August 

 24, and one near SAvift Current Rapid August 27. During my trip 

 northAvard from Fort Rae I saw it on Lake Marian July 30 ; noted it 



« Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XIV, p. 435, 1891. 



^Life Hist. N. A. Birds [I], p. 297, 1892. 



0 History N. A. Birds, Land Birds, III, pp. 132-136, 1874. 



^ Expl. r-A Far North, p. 262, 1898. 



^ Cat. Canadian Birds, Part II, p. 254, 1903. 



f Froc. Roy. Soc. Dublin, III, p. 61, 1860. 



