1908.] 



BIEDS. 



415 



'\^Tiile we were ascending the Mackenzie a large flock was seen near 

 Gravel Kiver on October 5, and many other flocks, proceeding lei- 

 surely southward along the river and feeding as they traveled, were 

 seen between that place and Blackwater River, October 0 and 7 ; near 

 Roche Trempe-reau, October 9 : and near Fort AVrigley, October 11 

 and 12. The last migrating flock was noted about 10 miles below 

 Fort Simpson on October IT. During the early part of the winter 

 the birds were noted only once at Fort SimjDSon. This was on 

 December 2, when I found a small flock feeding on the seeds of Alnu.s 

 alnohetula^ and secured individuals r^presenting both sexes. These 

 specimens, as well as those from Fort Franklin, prove on comparison 

 to be nearly typical of the Alaskan form. 



In 1901 I saw the bird but once, noting a single bird at Fort Simp- 

 son on April 2. It was flying northward along the valley. 



The following records of the occurrence of pine grosbeaks are 

 placed under the present form in accordance with the evidence 

 derived from my specimens. Ross recorded P. canadensis as having 

 been collected at Fort Simpson." MacFarlane mentions a nest found 

 in the spring of 1861, 60 miles south of Fort Anderson.^ Sharpe 

 records specimens from Bear Lake (probably from near Fort Frank- 

 lin) and Fort Simpson.^ The bird catalogue in the National Museum 

 records specimens from Big Island, Fort Simpson, and Fort Liard. 



J. Alden Loring frequently saw pine grosbeaks during his return 

 trip from the mountains to Edmonton, Alberta, in the autumn of 

 1896. As these birds were probably migrants from the north, I have 

 referred the note to this form. 



Carpodacus purpureus (Gmel.). Purple Finch. 



The purj^le finch is a fairly common breeder in the Athabaska and 

 lower Peace River valleys. Purple finches were seen several times 

 between Edmonton and Athabaska Landing, April 29 to May 5, 1901. 

 Several Avere observed on the Athabaska below Little Cascade Rapid 

 on the morning of May 14, and the species was noted near the mouth 

 of the river on May IT. A pair was seen and the female taken at our 

 camp on Slave River 10 miles below the Peace on June 10. 



In the spring of 1903 we first observed the purple finch near Ed- 

 monton, May 11, noting one; and we saw a flock 50 miles north of 

 Edmonton on Ma}" 14, taking one specimen. We noted the bird also 

 near Fort McMurray, May 28. On their return trip, Alfred E. 

 Preble and Merritt Gary observed 4 individuals, collecting an imma- 

 ture male, in the poplar woods at Fort McMurray, August 11. 



'^Nat. Hist. Rev., II (.second ser.), p. 281, 1862. 

 » Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XIV, p 440, 1891. 

 ^ Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., XII, p. 462, 1888. 



