190S.J 



BIRDS. 



417 



Current Rapid, August 27; and a flock at x^thabaska Landing, 

 August 31. At their camp on the Athabaska above the latter point, 

 September 5 to 15, they saw the bird daily, and took a pair on 

 September 7. During the same autumn I saw a flock of about a 

 dozen at Fort Simpson on October 21. They were feeding on the 

 seeds of the white spruce. I did not note the species during the 

 winter, and in the spring of 1901: first saw it on March 17, when I 

 found a small flock among some white spruces near the post, and 

 secured a male. 



King met with the white-winged crossbill at Fort Reliance in the 

 winter of 1833-34.<^ Ross listed it as occurring in the Mackenzie 

 River region north to Fort Good Hope, as wintering, and as hav- 

 ing been collected at Fort Simpson.^ MacFarlane took a male and 

 female on Anderson River, and was informed by the Indians that 

 the species was frequently seen in the wooded country south of Fort 

 Anderson.^ SiDCcimens from Fort Resolution, Big Island, and Fort 

 Simpson are in the Xational Museum, and the bird catalogue records 

 one from Fort Rae. Macoun, on the authority of J. M. Macoun, 

 states that [in 1888] the species was common on Methye River, and 

 that a few were seen between there and Isle a la Crosse, and that 

 Spreadborough saw several on McLeod River, west of Edmonton, 

 Jtme 19, 1898.^ J. Alden Loring took a male at Henry House, 

 Alberta, October 1:, 1895, and reported the bird common. 



Leucosticte tephrocotis Swains. Gray-crownecl Leucosticte. 



In the museum of the Hudson's Bay Company at Fort Simpson I 

 found a specimen of this species, taken some years ago at Fort Reso- 

 lution. Macoun states that Spreadborough observed it above timber- 

 line on all the mountains ascended about the sources of the Athabaska 

 in the summer of 1898.^ I find no other records for the species 

 within the area now under review, but it probably occurs regularly 

 along the Rocky Mountains well to the northward. Though it 

 undoubtedly breeds only in the mountains, in migration it extends 

 its wanderings over the northern plains several hundred miles to the 

 eastward of their bases. 



Acanthis hornemanni exilipes (Coues). Hoary Redpoll. 



These sociable little birds breed commonly along the northern bor- 

 der of the region, and on the approach of cold weather move south- 

 ward in large flocks, usually in association with the common redpoll. 



« Narrative Journey to Arctic Ocean, I, p. 166, 1836. 

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

 ^ Proc. V. S. Nat. Miis., XIV, p. 440, 1891. 



Cat. Canadian Birds, Part III, p. 430, 1904. 

 ''Ibid., p. 434, 1904. 



44131— No. 27—08 27 



