190S.] 



BIRDS. 



389 



Eussell reports seeing a recl-siiafted. flicker at Fort CliipeT^^van 

 May 21, 1893." This was probably only a straggler. 



In the summer of 1896 J. Alden Loring noted it on the trail be- 

 tween Edmonton and Jasper House, but it was less common than 

 C. a. luteus; he saw several 15 miles south of Plenry House July 3 to 

 21, and observed several " hybrids ' on the trail between Jasper House 

 and Smoky River in the early autumn. 



Chordeiles virginianus ( Gmel. ) . Xighthawk. 



The nighthawk is of regular occurrence in the Mackenzie Yalley 

 north to the region of Fort Good Hope. It is a late arrival in spring 

 and moves southward again in August. In 1901 the species was first 

 noted on the evening of May 23 at Fort Chipewyan and was again 

 seen on the following day. A specimen was taken near Fort Chi^^e- 

 wyan June 1 and another 10 miles below Peace River June 7. The 

 bird was noted also 25 miles below Peace River June 13 : at Smith 

 Landing, where it was common, June 13 to 17, and at Fort Smith 

 June 26. One was seen at Fort Resolution, July 5, and the species was 

 noted by my brother at the same j)lace on July 11, 17, and 23. It was 

 last noted late in the afternoon of AugTist 12 at Fort McMurray, 

 where a large flock was seen flying southward just over the tree tops. 



In 1903 we first observed this bird at Fort McMurray on the even- 

 ing of ^lay 28. After this the bird was common, and we noted it 

 nearly every evening, usually in numbers, on our way to Fort Chipe- 

 wyan. AVe noted it on Rocher River June 8, near the mouth of Peace 

 River June 9, and at Smith Landing June 11 and 12. My brother 

 and Gary noted one at Fort Providence July 3, and a pair at Fort 

 Wrigley Juh^ 22. 



In 1901: the first nighthawk was seen on June 7 at Fort Wrigley, 

 and on June 9 I observed three near the mouth of Blackwater River. 

 The most northerly one was seen at Fort Good Hope, June 23. On 

 my return trip I saw several near the mouth of Xahanni River, July 

 25, and a few on Slave River, a short distance below Fort Smith, 

 August 3. 



Under the name Caprimulgus americanus^ Edward Sabine says: 

 "A female of this species was found on Melville Island, lying dead 

 on the ground about a quarter of a mile from the sea." ^ This indi- 

 vidual was, of course, a straggler. Richardson noted the species from 

 Great Bear Lake, where it generally made its first appearance about 

 the last day of May.^ Ross recorded a specimen taken at La Pierre 

 House,*^ and reported it as rather rare in the Mackenzie River region 



« Expl. in Far North, p. 264, 1898. 



^ Suppl. to Appendix Parry's First Voyage, p. cxciv, 1824. 

 Fauna Boreali-Americana, II, p. 338, 1831. 

 Can. Nat. and GeoL, YI, p. 442, 1861. 



