420 



NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. 



[NO. 27. 



Acanthis linaria holboelli (Brehm). Holboell Keclpoll. 



A female collected at Herschel Island, July 16, 1894, by Frank 

 Russell, and recorded by him under the name Acantli'/s Vnuifia" has 

 been identified by Mr. Eidgway as hGlhwlli. The bird was collected 

 with a nest and three eggs. 



Spinus pinus (Wils.). Pine Siskin. 



The pine siskin is rather common over the southern part of the 

 Athabaska region, and occurs in smaller numbers north to the region 

 of Great Slave Lake. In 1901 we observed it but once, noting a 

 small flock near Vermilion Creek, 42 miles north of Edmonton, on 

 September 3. 



In 1903 my brother and Gary observed small numbers of siskins 

 at Fort Providence, July 6, 7, and 8; near the mouth of Xahanni 

 Elver, July 11; and near AVillow Lake Eiver, 20 miles south of Fort 

 Wrigley, July 19, noting five on the latter occasion. Gn their return 

 trip they found the bird common on the Athabaska above Fort Mc- 

 Murray. At the latter place they saw three, taking one specimen on 

 August 11. A large flock, apparently migrating, was seen at Boiler 

 Eapid on August IT, and other flocks were observed almost daily 

 between that point and Athabaska Landing, August 18 to 31. The 

 birds were abundant near Athabaska Landing, September 5 to 15, 

 and in a grove of Banksian pines 50 miles south of that point, Sep- 

 tember 23. 



J. Alden Loring reported the pine siskin as common near Banff, 

 Alberta, during the last week of August, 1894, and in the mountains 

 near Jasper House and Henry House, in the autumn of 1895. 



Macoun gives it as common on Methye Portage [in 1888]. on the 

 authority of J. M. Macoun ; and as ha^dng been observed in the foot- 

 hills of the Eocky ]Mountains north to Edmonton in 1897, and be- 

 tAveen there and Peace Eiver Landing in the summer of 1903, by 

 Spreaclborough.^ 



Plectrophenax nivalis (Linn.). Snowflake. 



This Arctic species, usually called snowbird in the north, breeds 

 in great numbers in certain parts of the Barren Grounds and on the 

 islands of the Arctic Sea. With the appearance of snow it begins to 

 move southward in large flocks, lingering in favorable feeding places 

 until well into the winter, but ultimately entirely withdraAving from 

 the region north of Athabaska Lake at least. It is one of the earli- 

 est arrivals in spring, but on account of the Arctic character of its 

 chosen breeding grounds, which are not ready for occupancy until 



" Exiil. in Far North, p. 2(!(;. ISDN. 



^ Cat. Canadian Birds, Part III, p. 446, 1904. 



