1908.] 



BIRDS. 



411 



miles below Fort Simpson, October 1 to 1(3. They were generally 

 seen seeking for food along the icy margin of the river, and the last 

 one noted was found dead on the bank. 



In the spring of 1901 the first male of this species was taken at Wil- 

 low Eiver, near Fort Providence, on May 2, by J. W. Mills, and the 

 first female on May 3. During the next few days the species became 

 common, and several specimens were taken by Messrs. Mills and 

 Jones. At Fort Simpson I first observed it on May 4, noting two. 

 On ^lay 10 I saw three, and I noted it also on May 14 and 15, but the 

 species was not common until May 16. During the remainder of the 

 month it was seen occasionally. During my trip down the Macken- 

 zie I found it breeding abundantly about some marshy ponds on 

 ^lanito Island, near Fort Good Hope, June 23, taking several, and 

 also saw it near that post, June 24. ^ATiile ascending the Peel, July 

 1. I saw a flock near the mouth of the river. During my return trip 

 I found it common at Fort Chipewyan August 7, and noted a few 

 near Quito Eiver August 30. Specimens were taken by J. W. Mills 

 at Fort Providence on May 7 and 8, 1905, and the bird was first 

 noted there on April 29. 



Richardson states that this species arrives at Great Bear Lake 

 by Ma}' 3, and describes one taken at Fort Franklin, May 15, 

 1826." King took it at Fort Reliance, where, in the autumn 

 of 1833, a flock of about 30 remained feeding on the offal from 

 the fishery until December.^ Richardson noted the species in 

 flocks in the delta of the Mackenzie below Harrison Island in the 

 >iimmer of 1848.^ Ross reported it as common in the Mackenzie 

 River region, and as having been collected at Fort Simpson.'^ Mac- 

 Farlane found it fairly abundant throughout the wooded country in 

 the Anderson River region, and found many nests.^ Baird, Brewer, 

 and Ridgway record it from Fort Simpson, Fort Rae, Anderson River, 

 and Peel River ; ^ and skins were received also from Fort Resolution 

 and Big Island. Skins recorded in the catalogue of the birds in the 

 National Museum, taken at Fort Simpson, May 5 and 7, 1861, prob- 

 ably represent about the earliest arrivals. Macoun states that Spread- 

 borough found this bird abundant in the spring of 1897 at Edmon- 

 ton, vrhere, on June 10, he found a nest with young; and that J. M. 

 iNlacoun found it abundant between Methye Portage and Isle a la 

 Crosse in the summer of 1888.f Hubert Darrell tells me that he saw 



" Faniui Boreal i-Americaiia, II, pp. 286, 287, 1831. 

 '^Narrative Journey to Arctic Ocean, II, p. 271), 1836. 



Arctic Searching Expedition, I, p. 231, 1851. 

 <^Nat. Hist. Rev., II (second ser.), p. 282, 1862. 

 '^Proc. U. S. Nat. Mns., XIV, p. 440, 1891. 

 1 Hist. X. A. Birds, Land Birds, II, pp. 205, 206, 1874. 

 ^Cat. Canadian Birds, Part II, pp. 407, 408, 1903. 



