366 



NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. 



[NO. 27. 



and noted it between Jasper House and Smoky River in the early 

 autumn. 



Pandion haliaetus carolinensis (GmeL). xlmerican Osprey. 



The osprey occurs sparingly throughout the region north to Great 

 Bear Lake and the lower Mackenzie. It is seldom observed along the 

 larger ri^^ers, probably because their muddy waters are unfavorable 

 for fishing. 



A pair was seen near Poplar Point, 90 miles below Fort McMur- 

 ray, May 16, 1901. A nest on an island near by was probably the 

 home of these birds. Single birds were observed at Fort Rae July 

 19, and on the Athabaska, near Big Mouth Brook, August 25. 



In 1903 this species was first noted on the Mackenzie, near Fort 

 Providence, on July 9 by my brother and Gary. On their return trip 

 they saw single birds near Athabaska Landing on September 5 and 

 12. While I was crossing Great Slave Lake to Fort Rae several 

 were seen among the Simpson Islands and the islands of the Northern 

 Arm July 20 to 24, and a nest, apparently in use, was found on the 

 former date. A single bird was seen on Great Bear Lake east of 

 Manito Islands September 13. 



In 1904 I saw the osprey but once, noting a single bird 15 miles 

 below Fort Norman on June 16. 



Richardson mentions the nesting of this bird on Bear Lake River 

 and states that Rae observed its arrival at Fort Confidence on May 17, 

 1849.^ Ross lists a specimen collected at Fort Good Hope ; ^ he states 

 also that the species was common in the Mackenzie River region north 

 to the Arctic coast.^ MacFarlane did not note it at Fort Anderson, 

 but is confident that he observed it between Fort Good Hope and that 

 point.^ The bird catalogue of the National Museum shows that skins 

 were received from Fort Resolution, Fort Rae, and Fort Good Hope. 

 Kennicott noted one at Fort Resolution May 7, 1860.^ Russell records 

 a specimen taken at Fort Rae July 26, 1893.^^ Seton records the 

 species from the narrows of Great Slave Lake September 20, 1907.^* 



J. Alden Loring reported seeing a pair in the mountains about 20 

 miles west of Henry House September 3, 1895. Their nest, built on 

 a stub near a mountain stream, held a single young bird, apparently 

 fully fledged. When the party returned a few days later the birds 



« Arctic Searching Expedition, I, p. 202, 1851. 



» Ibid., II, p. 104, 1851. 



c Can. Nat. and Geol., VI, p. 442, 1861. 



<^Nat. Hist. Rev., II (second ser.), p. 277, 1862. 



«Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XIY, p. 436, 1891. 



f Trans. Chicago Acad. Sci., I, p. 170, 1869. 



^'Expl. in Far North, p. 262, 1898. 



'^Aulv, XXV, p. 71, 1908. 



