1908.] 



BIRDS. 



403 



March 25, 1902, is in the collection of the National Museum. In a 

 letter received from James MacKinlay in the spring of 1005, he 

 reports that a nest containing eggs was found in a muskeg near the 

 Athabaska, 30 miles below Athabaska Landing, March 22, 1905. 

 The nest was in a willow bush, at a height which allowed a person 

 standing beside it to view its contents. 



Late in August, 1894, J. Alden Loring reported seeing several at 

 Banff, Alberta, taking one on August 28, and he saw several at Ed- 

 monton, September 7 to 26. In the early autumn of 1895 he found it 

 common along the trail between Edmonton and Jasper House. In 

 1896 also it was abundant along the same trail during the early 

 summer. He took young birds 12 miles west of Ste. Anne, Alberta, 

 May 27, and about 120 miles west of Edmonton, May 29. The tail 

 feathers of these specimens are fully grown. He found the species 

 common in the mountains near Henry House in July, and all along 

 the trail between Jasper House and Smoky River in the early autumn, 

 collecting several at Grand Cache, about 120 miles north of Jasper 

 House, September 25. These are in fresh fall plumage, and are 

 slightly darker than spring specimens. 



Corvus corax principalis Ridgw. Northern Raven. 



The raven, almost universally called ' crow ' in the north, occurs 

 throughout the region the year round, though less commonly during 

 the more severe months. It has been known to brave out the long 

 Arctic night as far north as latitude 73°. 



In 1901 we saw one at Grand Rapid, May 10; another below Fort 

 McMurray, May 15; and several near Fort ChipeAvyan, May 18 to 

 June 5. We next noted the species on Slave River 50 miles below Fort 

 Smith, June 30, when we saw a family of old and young, and collected 

 one. We noted several near the mouth of Slave River, July 4, and 

 several on islands in the Northern Arm of Great Slave Lake, July 16 

 and 17. While we were ascending the Athabaska on our return trip 

 we saw a number between Pelican Rapid and Big Mouth Brook, 

 August 25 and 26. 



In 1903 we occasionally saw the raven along the Athabaska, noted 

 it a few times on Rocher River, and found it common along Slave 

 River, noting numbers nearly every day between Fort Smith and Fort 

 Resolution. My brother and Gary found it common at Hay River and 

 along the Mackenzie as far down as Fort Wrigley. On their return 

 trip they noted it at Brule Rapid, August 19 ; at House River, August 

 22 ; and 50 miles south of Athabaska Landing, September 23. I saw 

 a few among the Simpson Islands and on the Northern Arm of Great 

 Slave Lake in July, and noted a few deserted nests on cliffs. During 

 my trip northward from Fort Rae I noted the raven on Grandin 

 River, August 1, 3, and 4, and on Lake Mazenod, August 6. North of 



